Your Cell is Ready
by Minyadagniriel
Summary: You don't want to owe the Joker a favor...rated M for later chapters...
1. Prologue

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Prologue

"Let go of me! Let go you bastards!"

"Pipe down missy, you've got a long stay ahead of you. Better get used to it."

"Fuck off!"

Several of the asylum patients were peeking between the bars of their cell doors to see who was causing the ruckus. It was a girl, probably around her late twenties. She was shouting and kicking at the orderly, her loose brown hair whipping in their faces.

"I'm not insane! Why not just send me to a penitentiary?" she screeched.

The orderly didn't exactly ignore her and one of them radioed for a doctor. A few minutes later, an overly husky man approached followed by two male nurses. They surrounded the brunette; the nurses grabbed hold of her legs while the orderly held her arms tightly. The large doctor, commonly referred to as Dr. Strange, began administering a heavy dose of lorazepam into her forearm.

"There you go, young lady," Strange said, "This will help you to relax." He turned to the orderlies, "Make sure she can't injure herself."

The two orderlies nodded and pushed the kicking and screaming woman forward, passing Strange and the nurses. They came upon an empty cell and shoved her in. She was slowly tiring from the medication and her limbs were getting heavier by the second. The orderlies set her down in the corner of the room and she could hear one of them saying, _"I don't think she'll need a straitjacket now." _A few minutes of chatter, mostly inaudible to her because she was half asleep, the orderlies decided to leave her. They locked her cell and she just sat there in her corner.

All four walls were padded with thick cushions; there wasn't anything else. No color, no lighting, and no toilet of all things…

"This…really…blows…" she murmured, trying to push the strand of hair out of her face, but her hands didn't want to stay up in the air long. She relaxed against the firm cushioning of the wall and could do nothing but wait until the orderly came back to either serve her a meal or take her out for exercise or treatments. She sniffed, why her? Did she deserve this? Her thoughts were drifting more towards sleep as the meds worked their magic. Eventually she passed out; her body slumped over, hair sprawled out all around her.

Hours later, she woke up and found herself in the same padded room, only she was restrained within a straitjacket. "Huh?" she mumbled.

"You were found on the floor seizing my dear."

She glanced up and saw Dr. Strange standing at the door, peering in between the bars. "Go away," she said casually.

"I have instructed the orderlies to medicate you every eight hours with Pamelor for your anxiety. I expect you to behave during your stay with us," Strange said before disappearing from her sight.

She was alone again, still half dead from her treatments. Her arms were enclosed in fabric, moving them was not an option, not that she had the strength to anyways. There was nothing to do. She would have fallen asleep again if she had not noticed a tiny bit of movement from within her room. Her eyes shot open and focused on a spot in the wall. The cushion appeared to be moving. How was that possible?

The cushion eventually fell off, leaving a layer of bricks to show. She did not expect the cement-encrusted blocks to crumble like they did and one even tumbled out of the wall. Now there was a gaping hole between her cell and someone else's. Next thing she knew, a face was staring back at hers. At first it frightened her, a ghost she thought. That pale face, those glowing red eyes, and an oversized grin. If it weren't for the drugs, she would have curled up into a ball to be as far away from the face as possible. Instead she gasped and closed her eyes tightly.

"What's the matter girly? Never seen a clown before?"

Her eyes cracked open once again and she stared at the creepy clown once again, "Leave me alone," she managed to squeak out and turned away from him to face the wall.

"Awe…why so cold? I promise that I don't bite…much, the name's Joker," he replied, trying to get her attention.

"Leave. Me. Alone," she repeated.

"I can help you get out of that straitjacket," he said.

She glanced over her shoulder, "From in there? I doubt it. This thing is tight."

"I've escaped many jackets, girl."

"Oh really, an insane patient like you? Okay I'll bite, how can you get this thing off me? Your arms cannot fit through that hole in the wall. By the way, you're gonna get us both in trouble for putting that there."

"Nah…you only get in trouble if you get caught." Joker winked at her. "So, wanna get out of that jacket or not?"

"Yes." She replied and Joker grinned at her as if he wanted something in return. "What's the catch?"

"When the time comes, I'll ask you for a favor," he said, "So, what do I call you?"

She sighed, "My name's not important."

"Sure it is. Do I have to come up with my own name for you?" he asked.

Annoyed, she sat up, "Fine, it's Noel and I hate my name."

Joker chuckled, "Why, it's such a cheerful name."

"It's because I was born on Christmas Eve. It figures my mother would name me after the holidays. Anyways, help me get this thing off."

"Ah so you're accepting my proposal…" he stated.

"Yeah, yeah. There isn't a whole lot I can do from in here so your favor can't be that bad." Noel did her best to crawl over to the wall where the hole was, "So, how are we gonna do this?"

Joker's grin seemed to widen, "I'm going to make this hole bigger so you can fit through it. Then you're going to squeeze through and I will show you how to take those things off unassisted."

A long hour went by and Joker managed to push another brick out, and another, and another…until there was a hole almost the same size as the cushions that layered the wall.

"Okay, come on through," he said.

Head first; Noel squeezed herself in between the broken brick, her shoulders barely fitting. Her hips on the other hand, needed a little help and she wiggled to get them through while the Joker pulled at her waist.

"You carry a decent amount of junk in the trunk," he teased.

"Shut it," she said angrily.

Clearly that was the wrong response because he got in her face with a severe look in his eye, "Keep in mind girl that there is no wall separating us anymore."

She held her ground, "If you're going to threaten me, then I guess I'll just crawl back into my own cell and figure out how to get this off myself. You can forget about that favor." She turned her back towards him and was about to climb through the hole again, but a set of hands grabbed her and turned her to face him.

She was able to get a complete visual of him. Those red eyes bore into her. He was no longer smiling and that fact alone made him much scarier to behold. His long green hair touched his shoulders, resembling thick dreads or a puffy clown wig. Noel wondered if the hair was real. She was steadily losing her nerve as his eyes intensified.

His frown quickly turned into a smile and he released her shoulders, "You got guts, girly. It's been a long time since a woman has stood up to me like that. Stick around and I'll show you how to get that off."

_To be continued…_

* * *

To return the favor…what could the Joker possibly want?


	2. Chapter 1

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch 1: Arkham

"Feel better?"

"Yes, erm…thank you." Noel dropped the straitjacket to the floor and she sat down next to it. "I better get back to my cell before the orderly finds me missing."

Joker sat down next to her, "Don't forget about my favor. I'll ask you about it in the future." He smiled.

Noel nodded and then she crawled through the hole, wriggling her body through and then she reached back in to grab the jacket, yanking it through and throwing it in the corner of her cell.

Before sealing it, Joker poked his head through the hole, "I'll talk to you again soon, deary. Until then, toss the pieces of brick out the window above and put the cushion back on the wall."

Noel looked up at the wall, there was a solitary window, complete with steel bars, just opposite of the cell door. She picked up the chunks of brick and tossed them out. She cleaned up the residue as best she could. None of the orderlies would even think to look outside for the missing bricks. Afterwards she replaced the missing cushion on the wall. It was as if it had never been touched. Just in a nick of time…

A few minutes later, a male nurse appeared in front of her cell, "Time for meds little lady."

Noel sighed, "I really don't want them."

"You don't have a choice," he said and he opened her cell and pushed a cart inside. "How did you get your jacket off?"

"I took it off. Didn't I just have a large dose a short time ago?"

He picked up two items from the cart, "Look princess, we can do this the easy way," he held a small cup will three capsules in it, "or the hard way…" In his other hand he held a syringe filled with a clear liquid."

"I'm feeling fine, please no meds," she repeated.

"Very well then." The nurse put down the paper cup and approached her with the syringe. He knelt down next to her, "Just take it easy."

The moment the orderly neared, Noel brought her knee up to his chin, clocking him in the face. He dropped the needle and she quickly picked it up and jabbed it into his neck. Then she pushed him to the floor and leapt over him. She knocked the cart out of the way and escaped the cell. She ran past the Joker's cell, able to hear him laughing out loud. He was cackling and cheering through the bars of his door, "Run girly, run!"

Noel sped through the hallways of the asylum, ignoring the other inmates that called out to her. She was closing in on the offices. The last door belonged to Dr. Strange and she pushed it open. Luckily the room was empty and she frantically rushed over to the large oak desk and began rummaging through the drawers. She needed to get out of this place before she truly became insane. She pulled another drawer open and pulled apart the contents, letting papers spill to the floor. There were confidential folders everywhere and she stumbled upon one labeled, 'Joker'. Curious about the inmate, she took the folder and tucked it into her shirt. More drawers were pulled out and torn apart until she found a master set of keys.

"Yes!" she cheered and took off from the office. The moment she left, she heard an alarm sound. The orderly must have contacted the doctors and nurses. They were searching for her! If she was fast she could sneak by the security and get out into the city.

* * *

Just her luck, she managed to run away from the asylum, but it also happened to be raining and now she had no choice but to find shelter. The best Noel could do was hide beneath one of Gotham's many bridges. She was soaked to the bone; even the folder she carried was damp. She tugged it out of her shirt and pulled apart the wet papers. Some of the pages were damaged, but a good portion in the middle was fine. She flipped through the medical reports; each one had a different diagnosis. What was wrong with these psychiatrists? Couldn't they pinpoint this guy's disorder? There were also newspaper listings of crimes Joker committed. Armed robberies, assault, blackmail, assault with a deadly weapon, trespassing, and murder…

She had just been in a conversation with a murderer? He could have killed her if he wanted to. Why didn't he?

She plucked out one of the newspaper clippings and folded it a few times, before tucking it into her sports bra. Perhaps she could find out more about him and maybe guess what kind of favor a serial killer would ask of her. She placed the folder on the ground beside and lay back on the grass. At least the ground was still dry here. She rolled to her side to look out at the rainy night. The city was lit up beautifully and she could hear the bustling of people trying to catch the trains.

"Perhaps I'll make a run for the next city when it stops raining," she said aloud.

"That's not a wise decision," replied a masculine voice.

Noel flipped over to see a person shroud in black standing over her. She sat up abruptly and backed into the cement of the bridge, "Who're you?"

"I'm Batman," he stated.

She'd heard of him before, but only in stories. She didn't really believe everything she'd heard. "What do you want?"

"To return you to Arkham."

"I am _not_ going back, I'm not crazy!" She got to her feet and started to back away from the caped crusader, "Just leave me alone…"

"I can't do that."

"I'm not dangerous! Why don't you go after a murdering lunatic? I'm not going back!" She backed away a bit more.

"To be honest, I was expecting the Joker to be here," he said, "Not a young woman. The people at Arkham are trying to help you."

"By drugging me every chance they get? I don't want to be pumped full of antidepressants and relaxers." Noel turned and ran away from the Bat in full speed. She left behind the folder.

Batman picked up the documents and took off after the girl. She was pretty fast for one so petite. Still, she wasn't like the other criminals; who tended to fight back. He would apprehend her easily.

Noel ran for the nearest building and forced her way past a group of people. There were screams when the Bat followed her inside the convenience store. Many customers fled the scene. Noel found the back storage room and barricaded the door with crates. She frantically searched the room for means of escape. There was a ventilation shaft in the ceiling and she climbed the nearest stack of boxes. She yanked on the grate. It was old a rusted, an easy pull from the ceiling. She pulled herself up and into the narrow shaft. There was no sign of the Bat behind her.

She crawled further along, sneezing occasionally and swiping away cobwebs. There was another grate at the end of the shaft; so close to freedom. However, this obstacle was bolted to the metal surroundings. "Shit," she mumbled and tried to push it out. It was no good; she had to go back. She started to scoot backwards, at least until she noticed that the metal shaft was being cut through before her and then around her. In a panic she tried to slide back even further, but the metal collapsed beneath her and she fell through it and into the waiting arms of the Bat. He then forced her to the floor and cuffed her hands behind her back. Batman also placed a blindfold over her eyes so she couldn't see where he was taking her.

He took her outside the store and placed her into a vehicle, the newly arrived Batmobile.

* * *

Noel was screaming throughout her ordeal in the Batmobile until they reached Arkham. The staff and Dr. Strange himself greeted Batman as he arrived to deliver the girl. She received an immediate dose of meds to slowly put her to sleep and the nurses moved her back into her cell.

They put her in a high security straitjacket, which meant it was harder to escape again.

She was so drugged out that she slept throughout the next day until dusk. She was stirred awake by the cushion falling off the wall again. Joker must have been working on the hole some more because it was much bigger than before. Noel tried to wake up fully, but the meds were so heavy…

Joker was able to squeeze through the hole himself and he knelt down next to the sedated girl, "Almost made it, did you?"

Noel stared at the ceiling, she could hear him, but his words barely made an impact.

"I didn't think so," he said, "Did you really think you could outwit Batsy? He and I have been partying for years!" Joker slid his hand underneath her and he helped her to sit up. She almost tumbled forward but he steadied her. "This will be two favors you owe me now," and he started to undo the straitjacket.

There was nothing Noel could do. She couldn't argue with or stop him from taking off the jacket. Eventually she was free from her restraints but not from Joker's grasp. Her mind panicked. Would he try anything on her while she was in a weakened state?

"Next time, talk to the master when you want to escape successfully," he said before leaving her side and crawling back through the hole. He pulled the cushion on her side back into place.

Several hours later in the morning…

Noel could move her arms and legs with very little difficulty, but standing on her own was hard. She needed an orderly to help guide her to a restroom and then to a recreational room where she could get some much needed exercise. There were a handful of other inmates present. Some were sitting at the tables playing rounds of chess and others watched the television set. She decided that she wanted to go outside, but she would need permission and possibly an escort after the other night's escape.

It was rather easy to get permission and Noel was outside in no time. Walls surrounded the courts with barbed wire lining the tops and security cameras were everywhere. Not to mention there were a few guards stationed here and there. She picked a corner of the courts to relax in. There were a couple other women seated there and they looked the least threatening of all inmates. Noel seated herself next to a redheaded woman who was holding a small flower.

"Mind if I sit here?" Noel asked, not expecting a response from another loon.

"Be my guest," responded the inmate.

Noel sat on the black pavement and enjoyed the sunshine, not really intending to strike up a conversation with anyone but was pulled from her thoughts a moment later.

"So, what are you in for?"

"Huh?" Noel said, looking at the redhead.

"I asked what you're doing in Arkham."

"Oh, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Come on, you can tell me. It's not like I'm able to tell the world."

Noel sighed, "I didn't commit any crimes in my opinion, but police say after I broke into a high security vault and nearly killed a guard, they found me seizing at the scene and complaining of hallucinations while I was being booked. I don't remember any of it happening. As far as I know, I'm just a plain woman who finished college and was planning to move to Massachusetts to begin a career. I don't belong in Arkham…I'm not crazy."

"That's what we all say. Nobody believes you when they think you're crazy. So, what's your name?"

"Noel, you?"

"Ivy." She placed the small flower behind her ear, "I've been in Arkham many times over and I've escaped several times too."

"I made an escape just the other-"

"I know, the orderlies have been talking about it. You didn't succeed for very long. The Bat caught you within hours," Ivy stated, smirking. She leaned back on her hands, "Not bad for a first try hun."

"Well why don't _you_ try escaping again?" Noel replied, mildly annoyed.

"They know me well, but I'll be making a break for it soon enough. I'm taking time off right now. Besides coming up with an elaborate plan of escape takes time, I'm not like that crazy clown who escapes almost weekly."

"Clown, you mean Joker? He doesn't seem like he's trying to escape."

"Joker always escapes and he's never been caught in the act. The Bat usually picks him up a few weeks after. You'd think security would get a clue by now." Ivy laughed.

Noel lay back on the pavement, "Hmm…he just doesn't seem the type to me. A little kooky, but he's been nice to me…sort of."

"You've been talking to Joker? Well don't listen to anything _he_ says. He's a compulsive liar and a prankster." Ivy pulled herself to her feet, "We're being called in, time to go back to the old cell. Joy…"

* * *

Noel sat in her cell with a tray full of food. Security didn't bother putting her in a jacket because of good behavior but she was partially nauseous from her meds. Just looking at the turkey and mixed veggies was making her feel worse. She pushed the tray away and lay on her stomach to try and rid the queasiness. It wasn't helping, the smell of the food was overpowering. She needed to get rid of it and fast. Perhaps the neighbor would want it. She slowly dragged herself over to the wall and tugged the loose cushion, letting it fall with a soft thud. She then pushed on the opposing cushion, hoping it didn't fall on the Joker. Once it was out of the way, she stuck her head through and looked around.

"Looking for me, girly?"

Noel focused on the darkest corner of the cell and sure enough, there he was. He stepped out from the shadows and over to the hole. He was wearing a straitjacket this time.

"Couldn't wait to see me again, could you?" he said through a wicked grin.

She pulled herself a little farther in, "Actually I'm just wondering if you wanted to take a tray of food off my hands. It's making me sick just having it in my cell."

One of his eyebrows rose, "Why not, it's not like they remembered to feed me today anyways."

"They didn't give you any food?" she exclaimed.

"For threatening an orderly with a bomb, it's typical for them to starve me for a few days. People around here have no sense of humor."

"Days?" Noel slipped into her cell and grabbed the tray lying on the floor and pushed it through, setting it on the other side. She climbed through afterwards and immediately began helping to undo the straitjacket on him. "Why didn't you just take this thing off hours ago?"

"Didn't feel like it."

She tugged on the buckle close to his lower back, "They really wanted to make sure you couldn't get it off."

"Trust me deary, I can get it off anytime," he joked, "But I think I prefer you getting it off."

Noel rolled her eyes, _"Figures…he's a pervert," _she thought, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." She finished unbuckling the back and she pushed the sleeves forward so it fell before him.

Joker then sat on the floor next to the tray and picked up the plastic fork. He started eating with passion. Poor guy was really hungry.

She figured this was a good time to take her leave. Besides, her stomach was getting queasy again just watching him. She started for the hole, but was stopped.

"Where you goin? Stick around girly," Joker had said, mouth partially filled with potato.

"Why? I have no reason to," she said, glancing over her shoulder.

Joker swallowed, "I need one of the two favors from you."

"Two favors? When did it become two?"

"I upped it to two when I took off that second straitjacket. You were 'out of it'." He scooped up the last of the turkey and quickly finished it off. "I want you to assist me on my next escape."

"I can't do that. I'm already in enough trouble from the other day." She started to climb into the hole.

"I'll help you get your freedom, Noel…"

She heard him clearly. He would help her escape the asylum successfully but what did he want in return? Once again she slipped backwards into his cell and looked at the crime clown, "What do I have to do?"

Joker gave her a toothy grin.

* * *

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 2

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch 2: Escape

Noel waited patiently for the orderly to give her a daily dose of meds. It should be any minute. She rested against the wall, reciting Joker's instructions inside her head over and over again. Normally she wouldn't do this sort of thing, but freedom from this dreadful place was a priority now and her personal feelings shouldn't get in the way. At least…that's what Joker said.

There a small clang at her cell door, this was it and she glanced at him and hunched herself over against the wall. The orderly pushed a cart inside her room and then relocked the cell door. It was the brunette who normally brought her meals. He must be substituting today. He wasn't too bad looking, so this would be a bit easier.

"Okay princess, time for your medication," the orderly said and he picked up a small cup from the cart. For some reason, he received no argument from her, but she remained in her corner facing away from him. "Princess? Come take your pills." There was still no movement from her. "Are you well?" Finally a response in the form of a tiny whisper emerged.

"Okay…" she said.

Her voice was cracking. She must have been crying and the orderly felt a pang of guilt for her. "Princess, are you all right?"

"No," she squeaked.

He put down the cup and approached the corner where she was kneeling, "Are you sick, I can summon a doctor." He touched her shoulder and turned her to face him. She _was_ crying. "I'll get a doctor. Can you tell me where you're hurting?"

Noel grasped the orderly's hand and placed it over her heart, "Here…"

"Your chest is in pain?" he questioned.

"No. My heart is," she replied softly.

His face relaxed, it was natural for the women of the asylum to feel heartbreak or miss their loved ones, " I see. There isn't a whole lot I can do to fix that, princess." He tried to retrieve his hand but she wouldn't let go.

"Yes there is." Noel brought his hand up to her mouth and she left tiny kisses on his palm.

"Miss, this is hardly appropriate and-" he started but she shushed him by quickly embracing him and planting her lips against his. Her kiss was so innocent…

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly, not giving him the chance to push her away but…at the same time, he couldn't help but want to comfort this woman.

The Joker would be proud of her for doing this. Noel's acting was perfect. The orderly was dancing in the palm of her hand. Still, she needed to reel him in farther and she pulled away, breaking the kiss, "Stay with me…" she said.

"I can't…princess, you know very well how unprofessional this is." He got up, wanting to leave the cell.

"I don't care!" She stood up and went after him, bringing her arms around his shoulders, "Please stay."

The orderly closed his eyes; this woman's touch was beginning to affect him.

* * *

Joker sat next to the removable cushion of his wall, he was slowly pulling it down so not to draw attention to himself. Then he just barely pushed on the other, peeking into Noel's cell. She was right on schedule because she was lying on the floor with the orderly above her. He was completely subdued by her charms and she was stringing him along. She was doing so well that the preoccupied nurse was shoving his hands underneath her asylum-issued shirt and was obviously squeezing some part of her breasts. Joker smiled, it was one hell of a show, but he wanted to move on with the plan. He slowly pushed the cushion out of the way and crawled into the cell, making sure not to alert the orderly. He snuck up behind the pair and with a swift kick; he brought his foot down on the back of the orderly's head, knocking him unconscious.

Noel squeezed herself out from under the heavy body. Joker offered his hand and helped her to her feet. He then searched the orderly for keys.

"You should consider acting, girly," Joker said.

"I don't have the confidence for being on the screen," she replied.

"A porn flick or two ought to change that." He began laughing.

"You're sick."

Joker found the keys and yanked them off the orderly's belt, "I never denied it."

"Whatever, let's just get out of here." She followed Joker to the door and the two of them escaped their cell.

Sneaking through the asylum was a bit more difficult this time around. Noel followed his every move until they were able to reach the front gate. None of the other inmates squealed on them of course. They knew what Joker was capable of if they ratted him out. Getting past security was easy since majority of the doctors and orderly had gone home for the night. Joker unlocked the front gate and the two of them hightailed it outside. Their last obstacle was the fence, easily opened when you've got keys.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Noel asked.

"To a happy place," Joker responded.

"I'm not going back to the asylum."

He laughed at her and continued running, while she kept up pace with him. Noel had no idea where he was leading and judging by the silence in the streets, police officers have not been alerted of a breakout.

Just when she thought her legs would give out, Joker finally stopped in front of a large building and with the push of a button, the oversized door began to rise. It was a warehouse filled with…toys.

"How typical," she said as she stepped through the door. An enormous teddy bear caught her eye, "I never expected you to own cute stuffed animals."

Joker grinned, "Be careful what you touch missy, those "toys" as you eloquently put it, are loaded with explosives. I have mountains of goodies in store for Gotham."

She didn't like the sound of that and she slowly backed away from the bear, "Is there anything in here that's safe?"

"Have a seat," he offered and pointed to an old couch. It rested close to a chair resembling Santa Claus.

"Thanks." Noel strolled over to the sofa and plopped down, but the moment she did, a squeaky noise broke the silence beneath her. She glared at Joker and reached under her seat. Of course, a whoopee cushion had been planted and he was cackling at her expense. "Very funny," she said and threw the offending toy at him.

"Awe…you didn't even smile," he said sadly and tossed the toy aside.

"I don't really have a sense of humor, especially for silly little pranks," she replied casually. She crossed her legs and leaned back into the couch.

"We'll have to change that, won't we?" His voice darkened. It was as if he were accepting a challenge.

"Yeah, whatever you say. In the meantime, it's late and I want to sleep if you don't mind." She stretched herself across the couch and rolled onto her side.

While she was passing out, Joker switched on his television set and flipped it to the news network. Looks like a story was spreading about his escape. They labeled him as 'psychotic murderer', again. However, Noel wasn't even shown. She wasn't much of a threat; at least, not yet. "Hm…perhaps I could use my little friend to my advantage." He glanced over at her sleeping form. She needed a lot of work, but he could drive anyone criminally insane.

* * *

Noel jolted herself awake after having a nightmare. She fell off the couch and scrambled to get to her feet. Joker was still seated on the chair; his head was lolled back and he was snoring lightly. His hands were crossed on his chest. For once the clown prince of crime looked peaceful. She dare not get too close for fear of him waking up and strangling her or something of the like. Instead she wandered around the warehouse, careful to avoid all the gadgets, toys, and equipment until she stumbled upon a back door. She was desperate for a shower and decided she would find the nearest house, pray there was nobody home, and break in. She was already sentenced for a long portion of her life, what are a few more years?

An hour passed…

Joker slowly woke up, rubbing his eyes and stretching. He glanced around the room; no girl was in sight. "Dammit!" She must have snuck out while he slept and she still owed him a favor! He shot up out of the chair and frantically searched the warehouse, "I'm gonna kill her!"

He went through every room until he heard someone enter the back door. Joker grabbed one of his many gadgets; a toy pistol, and pointed it towards the back of the warehouse. It was the girl, she actually returned.

She had a towel draped over her head. The moment she spotted him. "What's with the gun aimed at me?" she asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

Joker lowered the weapon, "Where the hell did you go and were you followed?"

"I went to a nearby house and took a shower. I was desperate! Nobody was home, so I snuck in. I promise I didn't leave any fingerprints behind, I touched everything with a washcloth to avoid that!" She pulled the towel off her head, letting the wet locks fall.

"You moron, you realize that you could have cost us our freedom if they had an alarm system! I ought to shoot you right now and be done with it!" he shouted.

Noel cringed, "Sorry…"

"You have no idea how to be a criminal! Don't pull another stunt like that or I will load that empty skull of yours with bullets!" He tossed the toy gun aside and took long strides to get to her. He grasped her by the shoulders tightly and forced her over to the couch, shoving her back. "Stay there, you move and it's your death." He then turned and stormed away, taking leave to the next room.

He never thought this girl would be so reckless. She needed tutelage and a shit ton of it…at least until he decided to dump her after he had his fun. Women were so easy to manipulate and this one would be no different.

* * *

"We're going to get caught."

"Not unless you keep your mouth shut girl," Joker said harshly.

Noel's frustration was growing. Her patience with Joker was running dry. She was holding an insanely heavy bag, watching and waiting as Joker and his two henchmen; Punch and Judy were emptying out the contents of a vault in Gotham's city bank. There wasn't any bad blood between her and Joker's lackeys. In fact, they were pretty sweet to her. Those two were the only reason she continued to put up with clown-boy.

Another jewel from the bank depository came flying at her, conking her in the head. The sharp end of the gem met with her temple and she yelped.

"Shut up!" Joker bellowed.

Noel ducked as another gem passed over her. She wanted to scream at him, but thought better of it for fear that he would throw an even sharper object at her. Instead she spat out, "I don't feel comfortable about this. I know I owe you a favor, but isn't this a little over the top?"

This time, a handful of tiny jewels were pelted and Joker stomped over to the now cowering girl, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her backwards into a wall. When her back connected with the marble, her head slumped forward. She stared at the ground, avoiding his gaze at all costs. What was he planning? Why the hell was she crazy enough to leave the asylum with this lunatic? She squeezed her eyes shut waiting for his hand to connect with her face, but it never came. Instead, ghostly white fingers slid beneath her chin. For skin so pale, his hands were very warm. Nothing like she expected.

Joker yanked up her jaw and leaned in; his nose came so close to touching hers. She could feel his eyes piercing into her.

Panic welled up in the pit of her stomach and she tried to release herself from his grip. The more she struggled, the tighter his hold. His fingers then trailed down her jaw and settled themselves at her throat. She wasn't prepared for what he had in store and she gasped the second he squeezed her delicate flesh. He slowly began to strangle her.

Noel dropped her bag to the floor, jewels and wads of cash poured out of it. Punch and Judy did nothing to interfere, though they did glance at each other. It was almost as if they pitied her. Her hands shot up to Joker's arms and she tried to push him away. No good…

"P…please…stop this…" she barely managed between gasps. She scratched at his hand and pulled at his fingers, but he wouldn't let go.

It was getting to the point where colors began flashing before her eyes, still he would not let up. Noel grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Her body began to sway and her hands loosened from his arm. She slid down the wall until her bottom touched the floor. Just as she thought he would finish her off, he let go and she collapsed onto her side desperately gulping as much air as she could. Joker stood over her, smiling.

She attempted to get up but Joker had other ideas. He took hold of her hair, making sure to grab a large chunk and pulling her to her to her feet. Once again she was staring him in the face and without a word, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out what looked like a rubber mask…maybe a medical mask? No, it must have been a gas mask or something. He forced it over her nose and mouth. Still tired from struggling, Noel just didn't want to fight him. He might hurt her again. Strange…her legs were getting weaker and her arms dangled limply at her sides. The scene before her began to blur and merge together until she shut her eyes, allowing a dreamless sleep to take over.

Joker watched as Noel slipped into the unconscious. He let go of her hair and watched her topple to the floor in a heap. He tapped her on the head with his foot a few times for good measure, "That ought to shut her up for a while!"

Punch and Judy just stared at their boss and shrugged their shoulders before continuing to gather the booty.

* * *

Noel awoke to a massive headache. What was that stuff clown boy pumped into her lungs? She attempted to get up but the light coming into the warehouse stung her eyes forcing her to flip over onto her belly. She shoved her face into a nearby pillow. Punch or Judy must have brought her back and put her on the couch. If it were left up to the Joker, he probably would have dumped her in the streets to be picked up by the police…or the Bat. She squeezed the pillow tightly. Maybe escaping from Arkham with this nutcase was a bad idea. She cursed her stupidity, "Of course it was a dumb idea!" The pillow muffled her words, thankfully.

Twenty minutes later she flopped off the couch and wandered to the back of the warehouse. There were toys and weapons strewn about the floor and she carefully stepped around them. Nobody appeared to be home at the moment, but she was certain Joker had locked her inside. The very back of the warehouse held an additional room, which served as a makeshift kitchen. Noel pushed open the door and she was suddenly overwhelmed by the stench of spoiled food. Her hands flew up to her face, covering her nose and mouth in disgust. Men were so…ghastly…well, at least the three men who resided here. Noel stumbled over a pile of pizza boxes and empty soda bottles, nearly tripped on an aluminum can, and she managed to fall into the corner of the counter tops. After regaining her footing she opened up the nearest cupboard. Popcorn. She turned her nose up at the snack food and she tugged open another cupboard. Popcorn. She yanked open the next one. Popcorn. Frantically she ripped opened the additional cabinets…and gave up. Her stomach now screamed for food and there was nothing else.

Noel sucked it up and pulled down the nearest box. Now she needed a microwave. She searched the vicinity, pushing aside boxes and piles of newspapers until she uncovered an ancient and rust covered microwave. At this point she didn't care about the state of the appliance and she quickly shoved a bag inside, "How does Joker survive on popcorn and pizza alone?"

* * *

Joker paced back and forth outside the warehouse, careful not to let anyone see him. Noel was driving him crazy! She was too sweet to be a lackey and the term 'criminal mastermind' was not apart of her vocabulary. He relaxed against the building and briefly surveyed the empty streets. Perhaps he would receive some form of inspiration on how to dispose of the girl. Favor or not, she wasn't worth keeping around. Her stupidity would cost him dearly…

He cracked his knuckles, nothing jumped out at him right away. He did have a magic kit inside; perhaps he could saw her in half?

"Nah, too messy, wouldn't want to mess up my threads…" he fixed the collar of his jacket and smoothed out the sleeves. He flexed his fingers and turned towards the door of the warehouse. "The idea of Noel crying out in agony…it sounds so invigorating!" He started cackling and pushed open the door. "However…killing the girl here would leave a trail connected to me." It didn't really matter to him but he just wasn't ready to be thrown into Arkham any time soon. There was so much to do and only one obstacle to overcome. It was such a shame that the girl had to be disposed of.

Joker stepped inside the building and glanced towards the couch where the girl lay sleeping. She was gone. "What the hell! Where did that pain in the ass go?" In frustration he kicked the armrest of the couch, moving the piece of furniture a few feet with the force of his foot. "Shit…" He really didn't want to have to go looking for the girl. She may be trying to escape after the depository incident last night. "We can't have that now can we?" he said aloud, "Oh girly…where are you?" He wandered throughout the warehouse, kicking weapons aside and making his way towards the back.

In the makeshift kitchen, Noel was clutching an empty popcorn bag and backing into a corner of the room. She heard the Joker yelling for her and cursing a few minutes ago. Now it seems he was trying to play nice…only she wasn't falling for it. Her body was shaking with fear. Her face paled…it was only moments before he would find her. What could she do? There was only one exit to this room. She could hear his deep voice echoing through the warehouse and it got louder as he came closer. She dropped the bag to the floor and waited.

The door creaked open and she cringed.

"Girly…are ya in there?" he called out playfully and pushed the wooden door the remainder of the way.

Noel stared in horror at the silhouette of the Joker standing in the frame. His eyes bore right through her. That eery smile…

"There you are sweetness. For a moment there I thought you were making a break for it," he said, a false sense of worry in his voice.

"N…no…Joker, I was j…just…" she stuttered and pressed herself against the wall.

He approached Noel, wide grin plastered across his ghostly white features. Those beady red eyes took in her entire form. His hands outstretched...reaching for her…

She couldn't blink. Taking her eyes off of him could prove to be disastrous. She flinched as he slammed his hands against the wall, one on each side of her head. His body pushed up against hers squishing her into the cement wall. She then shut her eyes tightly, fearing what he would do next.

"Come with me girly…" he said calmly, letting his hands fall from the wall and he gripped one of her hands, tugging her along.

A bewildered Noel followed behind as Joker led her out of the kitchen and towards the front of the warehouse. He brought her outside and looked around the area, spotting exactly what he needed. An old car was parked nearby and he dragged her towards the run down vehicle.

Noel didn't recognize the model of the car, but that was the least of her worries.

Joker let go of her hand, "Get in the car," he said harshly.

At first she didn't budge, "But…why?"

Pissed off by her response, he reached into one of his coat pockets and withdrew a pocketknife; "Care to ask anymore questions girly?" He pointed the blade at her.

She shook her head vigorously and quietly stepped towards the driver's side door. Joker pushed the knife into her back, not cutting her, but more of a warning. He then used his free hand to open the door and push her inside while he piled in behind her. Next thing Noel knew, he was demanding her to face away from him and he yanked both of her hands behind her back.

Joker then tore a long piece of fabric from her shirt, leaving a gaping hole in the back. A few tears later and he had several strips. He then took both her hands behind her back and tied her wrists together. He had to threaten her a few times over to get her to hold still. He nicked her on the shoulder with the knife to get the message across. Finally, the last piece of fabric was placed over her eyes, blinding her and he pushed her down against the seat cushions so she was lying down.

He then tore out a section of the dashboard, beneath the steering wheel and pulled out several wires. He was hot-wiring the car.

Noel was frightened but did not make a sound. She didn't need a matching cut on her other shoulder.

Thirty minutes of driving passed. Noel had cried silently the entire trip not knowing what he had planned.

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 3

Your Cell is Ready ~Minyadagniriel~

Ch. 3: The color white…

The car came to an abrupt halt. Noel nearly fell off the seat as a result of not wearing a seat belt. She could hear Joker putting the car in park and forcing open the driver side door. Noel sat up half expecting clown boy to untie her, but he never did. Instead, she was yanked from behind and dragged out of the car.

Joker held her by the hair, "Walk girly," he demanded, "I haven't got all day."

Noel wriggled around in Joker's grasp, trying to loosen his grip on her hair, "Where are you taking me?"

No response from him but his grip grew tighter.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" she cried.

"That's the point, now shut the hell up!"

Still blind folded, Noel couldn't see the cold blade of the knife trailing up her back but she certainly could feel it. The steel scraped against her bare skin where her shirt was torn away. "Joker…please…"

Instantly the knife was at her neck.

"Ah, what did I tell ya girly?" he said angrily, pushing the blade into her throat. A small trickle of blood fell where the knife lay. "No. More. Talking…"

She clamped her mouth shut. It was obvious now that he meant business. He continued to push her forward, not letting the knife fall from her neck. Eventually she was shoved through a steel door, fragments ripping off the edges and wedging into her skin. She'd nearly fallen a few times but Joker held her up, still by the hair no less.

Joker guided her into the far back of the building.

Noel couldn't take the silence any longer, "Joker! Where are you taking me?" she shouted, not caring if the knife was still at her neck. However, she was answered with a smack to the back of her head.

"Do you never listen?" he said. He let go of her hair and spun her around to face him. He then grabbed her chin in one hand and brought the knife up to her face, "I don't like it when my hostages disobey my orders…"

"Hostage? I thought we were…" she began.

"Partners? Ha! I only used you girly to break out of that nuthouse…" he replied. He slid the knife down her temple, slicing through the blindfold. It fell to the floor in a tiny heap.

Noel was now staring into the eyes of her captor…the scariest criminal mastermind in Gotham…the Joker. This very moment she wished the blindfold had stayed in place. He was grinning at her…red eyes stared at her with such intensity. Suddenly Noel felt a warm sensation on her torso and she quickly glanced down. There it was…the handle of the knife sticking out of her belly, along with the Joker's fingers still wrapped around the offending weapon. Noel didn't cry out but she was starting to go into shock. She couldn't move…couldn't breathe…

"Hey…hey…" Joker said, releasing the knife, letting it stay buried in her flesh. He patted the side of her face to get her attention. "Hey, stay awake. See what you made me do? We could have avoided this mess if you'd have listened…but nooo!" He then bent forward to collect her legs in one arm and her upper body in the other. In bridal fashion, Joker carried her to the next room of the building. Noel was silent, but she was able to see where she was. It was a large building filled with machinery. A factory? What kind and what was he planning? Her breathing was speeding up and could now feel her blood dribbling down her back. It soaked the front of her shirt. She was starting to get dizzy.

Soon enough, Joker reached another steel door and he kicked it open. The overwhelming smell of sulfur and ammonia filled Noel's nostrils and she started coughing and choking. Her vision was blurry now and she could make out large black shapes all around the two of them. She was suffocating…how could the Joker stand to be in this factory?

Joker carried her up the nearest staircase and onto the platform above. She could now see down into the large black shapes…they turned out to be tanks filled to the brim with chemical mixtures. It was a disgusting green color and smelled like spoiled eggs…hence the sulfur smell earlier.

"W…what…is…."

"This, my dear…is a maternity ward in a hospital," he teased.

" …" She blinked over and over again, trying to focus but she couldn't get a clear image.

"Here is where I was born," he stated, "…and this is where you will die."

Panic flew up in Noel's throat, it was bad enough he stabbed her and she was passing out from blood loss, but still she could survive the small wound. If he threw her into one of those tanks, she would surely drown! She could barely move as it was...

Joker put her feet down on the platform and grasped the handle of the knife, ripping it from her stomach. She cried out in pain and a surge of blood poured from the injury. She needed to do something to get away before he killed her!

It was the only thing she could think of…

_*****__Crack *_

She nailed him hard across the face, running on nothing but pure adrenaline and nerve. The lunatic dropped her to the platform and she struggled to get up. Joker tumbled backwards and fell on his rear, rubbing his cheek profusely.

Her feet felt like bricks and she needed to support her weight on the railing. The room spun around her as she stumbled along the railway. _"Just get out of here, Noel!" _she screamed at herself mentally. She fell to her knees once but got back up again. She wasn't moving very fast unfortunately and she could hear clown boy stepping towards her. He was laughing at her attempt to escape and quickly caught up with her. He pinned her against the railing and slipped one arm around her throat and the other around her waist. He proceeded to drag her close to a chemical tank and he leaned her over the rail, about ten feet over the sickening mixture.

"It's a great view isn't it girly?" he said. He only held her with one hand. "Now comes the best part…"

He was about to let her fall, but something flew past his head and stuck into the flooring behind him. A batarang…

Joker scowled, "Awe! What the fuck! How the hell did you find me so fast?"

The dark knight leapt down from the open window he was perched on, "Witnesses Joker. You drive like a maniac. Release the girl, she's not a threat to you."

A broad smile formed once again across Joker's face, "You _want _me to release her? Okay, whatever you say Batsy!" and he let go of Noel's waist.

Batman needed to act fast and he leapt over the railing, quickly used his grappling gun and managed to catch Noel by the arm. She was frightened and crying. Not only that, he could see the gash on her belly. She desperately needed medical attention and soon. He managed to get her back up to the platform and lay her on the flooring. She'd fallen unconscious…

There was still the Joker to deal with.

"C'mon Batsy! Why deny a clown a good time? She would have died quickly…now that you've interfered, I'm gonna kill her nice and slow…" He pulled out a small deck of cards and threw several of them at the Bat. Joker leapt into the air and attempted to kick his enemy.

After dodging the cards, Batman caught the crazed clown by the foot and repelled him backwards. Joker crashed to the concrete flooring with a heavy thud.

"Um…owch." Joker rolled onto his side and stood up, this time he was really pissed off, "You've done it now Batsy…" and he ripped a pistol out from the inside of his jacket, aiming at Batman first but then he pointed it towards the girl. She still lay unconscious on the floor.

Batman leapt at the Joker before he could take the shot and he pinned Joker down to the floor. It wasn't the best choice of action, but the dark knight wasn't given much time to think. He managed to stop the lunatic from shooting the girl but there was another problem…the shot fired had hit one of the support cables for the platform. The unconscious Noel was lying on the damaged platform! Another cable had snapped, not able to carry all of the weight alone. Batman needed to get her to safety but the Joker had other plans and he quickly latched onto the Bat's arms, throwing him overhead.

Noel was sliding down the flooring; her legs now dangled over the side.

"No time to save the girl Batsy?" Joker said with glee and he quickly got up. He still had the gun in his hand and he took a shot at another cable, breaking through the metal wire easily.

The platform tipped even further and Noel slid about halfway down, her rear touched the edge of the floor. Batman got up and rushed to Noel's aide but Joker sent a bullet flying into his back. The impact of the shot sent him tumbling but it did not pierce his armor. Joker sent several more shots into his back, emptying the chamber, preventing Batman from getting up.

Another cable snapped…the platform broke away…

Noel slid off completely…still unconscious…

She hit the green substance with a very large splash. For a moment her body floated to the surface, her entire being covered with the slime substance. None of her features were visible. Eventually she sunk into the chemicals.

Overcome with extreme anger, Batman flew to his feet and took one swing at his enemy, sending him flying over the railing and to the floor. The clown was now out cold.

Batman rushed to the ground level and found a latch that would drain the tank. He flipped it and waited for the vat to empty. The girl's body appeared at the bottom…she was not moving. He quickly jumped inside and picked her up. Her entire body covered from head to toe in green chemical sludge. He brought her out of the container and lay her on the floor just a few feet away from the Joker. He cleared out her mouth as best as he could and wiped her face with his cape.

He needed to radio for help and quickly used a transmitter in his cowl to call for an ambulance and police officers.

* * *

Noel awoke and found herself in new surroundings. She was clean and her arms were dressed with multiple bandages. There were monitors everywhere. "Gotham hospital…" she said as she sat up in her bed.

"That is correct."

Startled, she looked over her shoulder to find Batman standing there. "What's going on? Why are you here?" she demanded.

"You've been unconscious for over a week. Do you remember anything that happened?" the Bat questioned.

"No… except for the fact that Joker tried to eliminate me." The sheets and blankets fell away from her and she was about to pull them back up when she noticed her arms. "Oh my god!" she screamed. She rubbed at her left hand vigorously to see if it was really hers. "What happened to me? My skin!"

Her arms were solid white, as in clown white. She ripped away the bed covers and sheets to see her legs. They were the same…

Batman approached her, "Please try to stay calm. I have a lot of things to explain to you."

"I need a mirror…now!" she cried and flew out of the bed. Her IV's ripped out of her arms and she ignored the intense pain in her stomach to flee into the provided bathroom to her room. A high pitch scream could be heard all over the hospital.

Her reflection was someone completely different. Where was Noel the brunette girl with brown eyes? The person in the mirror was absent of any color whatsoever. The skin was pearly white, the hair…platinum, and the eyes were void of chocolaty brown…replaced with black outlining her irises and a ghostly pale coloration. It was like someone took acetone and removed the nail polish.

"I'm…I'm…albino!" she screeched and ran from the bathroom straight into Batman's arms. "What happened to me? Please tell me!" She tightened her grip around his shoulders waiting for an answer. She watched as the Bat lowered his head…he must have spent a lot of time thinking this over.

"Noel, you fell into a dense mixture of chemicals and they removed every ounce of pigment from your body? You're lucky…it could have been much worse."

"Lucky? Are you crazy? I'm...not Normal!" she shouted in his face.

"Define normal," he retorted and he gently pushed her back.

"…Um…" To be honest, she couldn't. Frustrated, she walked back to her bed and climbed in, "You're going to take me back to Arkham aren't you…when I'm all healed?" She sighed heavily.

"Actually no. While you were unconscious this week, I attended a hearing. One that has determined your future." Batman crossed the small room to stand on the side of her bed.

"My future? I'm supposed to be put away in Arkham according to the courts. I was accused of attempted murder and burglary." Noel draped her legs over the side of the bed and waited for the new information, "I've already told the judge, cops, and doctors that I didn't do it…"

"And you were right. I attended court, which determined you were picked up under mistaken identity. It's a rare case but the police are known to make a mistake here and there." He looked at her. Her head hung low and shoulders were slumped. "Noel?"

She was fuming…the news was too much and she exploded, "I WAS THROWN INTO ARKHAM BECAUSE OF A MINOR SEIZURE? THEY TOLD ME I WAS DELIRIOUS AND SHOWING SIGNS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA! I WAS PUT THROUGH ALL OF THAT FOR NOTHING? I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS IF I WERE PUT IN A HOLDING CELL UNTIL THEY COULD CLEAR MY NAME! NOW I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!"

Noel had every reason to throw a fit.

"I'm sorry…" Batman apologized, "It's unfortunate that the damage can't be reversed. However Noel, you must stop moving around so much or you are going to cause yourself more pain. Please remain calm while I go over the details of the hearing."

"There's more?" she questioned.

"Yes. While you are innocent for the bank job and attempted murder case, there is still the fact that you escaped a high security prison and assisted the Joker with robbing a jewel depository. The mistaken identity case has lowered your sentence for the more recent crimes. You were sentenced to two years probation and weekly meetings with a counselor for your traumatic experience with the Joker." Batman pulled an envelope from his utility belt and dropped it in her lap. "Here's the name and address of your counselor. Your first meeting is next Monday at three p.m."

"What happened to the Joker?" Noel said and she opened up the envelope, beginning to read its contents.

"He's back in Arkham where he belongs. Why?"

"Well what do you think? He's back in an asylum where the doctors and orderlies are complete morons! If Joker finds out I'm alive, he'll come after me to finish the job!" She threw the envelope to the floor and fell back against her pillows.

"That's not going to happen."

"You know that's a crock of shit, he'll find me…" she stated.

"You are under protective custody for the next two years. Also, there is the matter of changing your identity."

"What?"

Batman threw another envelope in her lap, "It's a requirement that you change your name and the police have already relocated you to another part of the city. You will be starting a new job where the police will be able to keep an eye on you."

"For life? I thought I only had a two year sentence."

"The Joker has a life sentence in prison and the city does not recognize the death penalty for the criminally insane."

It was devastating for her to have to go into hiding from just one man, "Fine…alright…if this is what I have to do." Tears began spilling down her cheeks.

"Very well then," said Batman, "Tomorrow the police with brief you on living and job arrangements. Please try to get some rest and don't worry so much. You'll be safe." He then disappeared out the door leaving her alone.

She cried herself to sleep that night. How was she going to deal with this? She would be treated like a freak…

* * *

One week later…

A lone figure stood by the sill of the apartment window, looking out at the stillness of the night. Only flickering city lights disturbed the blackness of the skies. The north side of Gotham was quiet, just like the police had said. Nothing ever happened there.

She glanced down at the document in her hands and she immediately tore up the letter. It must have been a sick joke…really it had to be. The police had issued her a new name as she expected. They could have at least given her something a little more original! Why oh why did she have to born so close to a holiday?

The new name stuck with her the moment the officers dropped by to give her the paperwork for social security and her new job. They were already calling her by it…

Eve Raffaello.

It was so typical…

It was going to be a long two years…

Two years of counseling…

Two years of working…

Two years of being watched twenty-four seven…

Two years of plotting her revenge…

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 4

Your Cell is Ready ~ Minyadagniriel~

Ch. 4: Recharge

Two years later…

"Hold him down!"

"I'm trying to!"

The two orderlies were struggling to subdue a patient and put him into a straitjacket. Throughout the entire ordeal the patient was cackling and taunting them and even let loose a kick into one of the orderly's faces.

"Shit! God damnit! He cracked me upside the head!" complained the blonde orderly. He rubbed the spot on his forehead briefly before seizing the patient's leg again.

"Are you two having problems?"

The injured orderly looked up to see Dr. Strange standing over the three of them as they each fought for dominance. "We're sorry sir, but the patient started a brawl in the recreation room and we're trying to put him into solitary confinement. It's proving to be more difficult than I thought."

Dr. Strange watched as the two men finally gained control of the patient and they were busy fastening buckles and ropes around him. They pulled the lunatic to his feet so his eyes met with Dr. Strange. "My, my Joker…you have been very active this week. Two of my guards in the hospital, pranks on your personal psychiatrist, and you've terrorized your asylum mates more often than usual. Is there a particular reason for the increase?"

Grinning, the Joker replied, "I need to keep up my stamina doctor."

"Stamina? What may I ask are you planning?"

"Me? Planning? I'd have thought that a man of your stature would have enough intelligence to differentiate between exercise and plotting." Joker gave him a look of innocence, complete with a quivering lip.

"Very well Joker." Strange looked at his orderlies, "Continue your task to solitary confinement and administer his evening medications." He then walked past the three men, heading back to his office.

The blond orderly glanced over at his friend, a brunette orderly and smirked, "That's our clearance." He two men escorted Joker to the eastern part of the asylum. Along the way, Joker was in complete and utter silence, which gave the orderlies an eerie feeling. They finally reached one of the confinement rooms. The door to number twenty-seven was already unlocked and they pushed Joker into the room. They set him in the corner.

"Let's get this over with," the blonde said and he headed out the door.

The brunette stared down at the Joker, "We'll be back with your meds." He turned his back to insane clown and made way for the door.

In a flash, Joker leapt at the unsuspecting orderly and with his legs alone he tackled the man to the floor. "I have some medicine that I'd like to give you too…" Joker said sadistically and he wrapped his feet around the brunette's head.

There was a sickening crack…

Satisfied with his work, Joker quickly removed his straitjacket and searched the body for keys.

* * *

Two years was up…

Every strand of hair did not seem to want to lie smoothly. Damn those conditioner treatments and their false advertising! Eve put the brush down and glared at the reflection in the mirror. She hadn't changed much since her ordeal with the Joker two years ago. However her skin and hair had unusual dryness due to the chemical bath she suffered through.

"I hate you," she said to the mirror. The bleached out skin reminded her of that nutcase. For two years she worked at improving herself physically and mentally but every time she looked into the mirror…she wanted to destroy it. "He's going to pay for this…" The question was 'how'? She wasn't a violent person and she was beginning to wonder if there was any point to taking that concealed weapons course last summer. She was now certified to carry a handgun.

Having totally given up on her hair, Eve picked up a bottle of moisturizing cream and slathered a layer all over her arms, legs, and face to relieve the dryness. "Thank god I only have to do this once a day." She glanced into the vanity mirror once again to check her appearance. Her blue jeans were ironed neatly. The red shirt she wore was new. It had a scoop neck cut with three-quarter sleeves. She left her hair down. It touched her backside in a pale waterfall. She wore no makeup…there was no point. They didn't make concealer in clown white. Last she looked at her eyes; blue contacts were placed correctly to hide the hideous whiteness. She tried brown contacts once but her peers kept mistaking her for a demon because they were so dark.

"This is as good as it's gonna get…" Her anger and frustration had reached the boiling point. She quickly glanced around her room and spotted a potted plant on her dresser. She grabbed the doomed plant and threw it at the mirror, shattering it. "What am I going to do!" she screamed. She wanted to get even with the Joker so badly. At this point, she didn't realize she was pacing. The police no longer kept a constant vigil over her so she was free to do as she pleased. Eve looked at the dying plant on the floor; the flower crushed under pieces of ceramic.

Then it hit her…

* * *

There was a clang on the cell door.

"Ivy, you have a visitor," said a tall, red haired guard.

Confused, Ivy got up from her bed and lazily walked towards her cell door, "That's impossible. You know I have no family."

The guard opened the cell door and placed a pair of handcuffs on her. He then escorted her to the visitor's center of the asylum. The visiting room was empty save for one person sitting at a table in the corner. Ivy looked at the guard questioningly but just pointed to the corner. She shrugged and headed towards the figure, seating herself directly across the table. The guard left the two alone with only video surveillance to watch, but not record their voices.

"Why all the secrecy?" Ivy asked.

The stranger wore a hood over his face.

"No secret…" the unknown person replied in a very delicate voice. He pulled the hood back revealing…a woman. "Hello Ivy…or should I say Poison Ivy?"

Clearly bored already, Ivy asked, "What do you want?"

"You don't remember me do you?"

Ivy sized up the odd looking woman. She was as white as the Joker. "Should I remember you?"

"I had a feeling you wouldn't recognize me. I met you two years ago when I was temporarily an inmate. You were sitting outside with a flower in your hand and we briefly conversed. I was the girl who was caught within hours of escaping the asylum," Eve explained.

Ivy didn't say anything at first, but she did have a surprised look on her face, "Noel?"

"Shh! Don't call me by that name any longer. Its Eve now…compliments of the Gotham P.D."

"You're working with the police department now? What happened to your face? Your hair?"

"No, no. Ivy…I really need your help."

"No way…Eve," Ivy said with much emphasis on the name.

"Please Ivy, I don't work for the police. I was taken into Arkham under mistaken identity and the Joker tried to kill me, hence the permanent face paint. The cops put me under protective custody the last two years and now that I'm free from their watch…I want…"

Ivy raised one eyebrow with curiosity, "You want…?

"I want to return the favor to the Joker for trying to kill me," Eve admitted.

Ivy smiled, "You'll be put away for life."

"I know that, but I'd rather live a life behind bars than out in public ridicule. Will you help me?"

"What do you want me to do?"

Eve sighed, "I read your files at the police station and I saw some of the plant toxins you made when you were in hiding. I was hoping you could-"

"Forget it, Joker's immune to my poisons. I haven't been able to develop a single toxin that could end his life. You're better off killing him with a gun or something."

"You've got to have something that would work. I want him to suffer…die slowly…like what he did to me."

"But you're not dead, Eve."

"Yes, I am…I've been dead inside the last two years."

Ivy sat back in her chair, "You're really serious aren't you?"

Eve nodded, "I've made up my mind."

"Alright, I'll go get the guard and have him escort us to my cell. I have something that may work for you," Ivy said.

Ten minutes later, Eve managed to convince the guard to let her visit Ivy's cell.

"You have five minutes miss," he told Eve.

Within the cell, while the guard was busy waiting outside, Ivy pulled a cushion away from the wall revealing a small chamber hidden within the bricks. She withdrew a small box.

"This is my latest toxin, I've been experimenting with the molds and plants provided by the asylum. The doctors have no idea I've been gathering samples from under their noses," Ivy whispered. She took a small needle out of the box as well, "Okay, I need to give you something first. Hold out your arm."

"What for?"

"A shot."

"No way. I hate needles."

Ivy rolled her eyes, "You need immunity. If you don't take this then you can forget about the toxin."

"Alright, alright…" Eve held out her forearm and Ivy quickly jammed the needle into her skin, pushing a dose of some greenish substance into her vein. "Ow…"

Ivy removed the needle, "There. Your body will develop an immunity to this poison so it can't absorb into your body." She took out a small vial from the box. It contained a black fluid. "You know I'm only giving this to you because you're trying to bump off one of my greatest foes."

"I know that." Eve took the vial and pocketed it, "How do I get the Joker to drink this stuff, I'm sure he'll be able to tell when something is spiked."

Ivy started laughing to the point where Eve felt slightly embarrassed.

"What's so funny?" Eve asked, slightly annoyed

"Joker doesn't _drink_ that toxin. It needs to be absorbed through the skin and that is what's so funny, hun. Joker doesn't let anyone get close to him. You've got quite a challenge ahead of you. Not to mention the Joker escaped Arkham again last week. He managed to kill an orderly and nobody knows his whereabouts."

"Right, I read about it in the papers. What am I supposed to do?"

Ivy smirked, "Get creative…"

Just as Eve was about to ask another question, the guard interrupted them.

"Time is up ladies. Visiting hours are over. Say your goodbyes."

Without another word, Eve nodded towards Ivy, "Thanks."

"No problem hun and good luck," Ivy replied, a broad smile across her face.

* * *

Hours later…

Eve was watching the news. There were several stories about Batman stopping the latest bank robbery and there has not been a single sign of the Joker. This was going to be a lot harder than it looked. She had cleaned up the glass littering the floor of her apartment and decided she would not replace the mirror. The bathroom mirror would suffice for a while. The vial of toxin sat out on her dresser and she glanced at it every now and again.

She shut the television off and strolled over to the closet yanking out her oversized jacket with a hood and put it on. There was nothing on the news and she'd been watching since that morning for signs of the lunatic. The only thing she could do now was to go out and find him herself. Eve grabbed the vial and stuffed it in her pocket. Then she opened the top drawer of her dresser and rummaged through her socks. She pulled out a small revolver, already loaded with six rounds. She hid that on her person and put on a pair of sneakers.

It was dark out, around eleven at night. She needed to go to a place that the Joker was likely to hit or burglarize. He'd been out of the asylum for a week so he would definitely be planning to get fast cash.

She spent forty-five minutes wandering the streets, passing nightclubs, bars, and restaurants. Eventually she stumbled along Gotham's financial district where majority of the banks and depositories. This place was familiar…it was where she had committed her first robbery two years ago. She stayed in this district for half the night waiting for something to happen…

Four a.m…

Eve awoke startled by the sound of an explosion. She was leaning against a building outside Gotham City Bank. It was coming from inside the building and as if on cue, she heard the sound of squealing tires and then a truck taking off. She quickly got to her feet and then peered around the corner of the bank just in time to see the vehicle. It was a blue cargo truck with no license plate and she didn't see who was inside it.

She quickly ran up to the first car parked in the street and broke the passenger side window with her foot and crawled in. She'd only seen a car hotwired once during the last year so she had to guess which wires to touch together. Eve ripped out a piece of the dashboard and found the wires, mixing and matching them until the car started and she slammed on the gas.

She saw the truck go south so she headed that way too.

Miles of driving seemed like an eternity and Eve drove to the southern part of the city She lost sight of the truck and had no choice but to drive around for several blocks. There were cars and trucks everywhere in this slum. She was about to give up until she came across an old warehouse.

Eve stopped the car exactly a half a block away from the warehouse and walked back to see if her suspicions were correct. Parked outside the building was the same blue truck she saw making a get-a-way from the bank.

"I'm feeling a sense of deja-vu," she whispered to herself, "My hunch better be right…"

She found a large stacking of boxes along the side of the building and she decided to use those as a makeshift tower to climb up. They weren't very steady but it worked and she managed to get to one of the windows. She peered inside and saw nobody. It was just an empty room but she was certain there were additional rooms inside. She pulled gently at the metal frame; concrete crumbled away from the frame and she was able to take it off. She slipped inside the building and looked around.

There was a light coming from the next room…she could see shadows under the door. Someone was in there and they were also coming out…

Eve flew behind the nearest pile of crates and made sure she was completely hidden.

The metal door scraped along the floor as it opened and Eve peeked between two of the crates to see who had come out. A large person filled the doorframe.

She recognized this person; it was one of Joker's henchmen…Punch or Judy. She didn't know the difference between the two. He seemed to be motioning behind to someone and another person joined him shortly. It was the second of the two henchmen. So they were still active after all and neither of them was dressed in the normal clown attire. They wore business suits.

Eve stayed hidden until the two men walked by and left the building. She then came out from hiding and wandered over to the room. Nobody was inside.

"Damnit!" she shouted and then she regretted that action. Her hands flew up to her mouth and she turned to see if Punch and Judy heard that. Apparently they didn't because they never came back. They may have left! She needed to follow them!

She rushed to the exit of the warehouse just in time to see the blue truck getting read to take off. She ran to the back of the truck and grabbed hold of the back doors. The truck pulled out on the curb and she needed to hang on for dear life as the driver stomped on the gas. They were moving at full speed.

Her arms were killing her by the time the truck finally came to a stop. Eve fell off the back of the truck on her ass and she needed to get away before she was caught. Her surroundings were new…

Punch and Judy stopped in the western part of the city where there were businesses and hotels.

Eve picked herself up from the ground and quickly ran across the street where she would look inconspicuous. She watched as the two henchmen walked across the busy street and into a hotel. She followed them, staying several feet behind. A clerk asked her if she needed any assistance finding her room but she politely declined. She got several strange looks from hotel guests, most likely because of her appearance. It was normal for her.

She continued to follow until an elevator was in sight. There were only three floors to the hotel so she waited to see what floor Punch and Judy were heading to. They disappeared inside the elevator.

Her patience had paid off. The elevator went all the way to the top floor and she rushed up the provided emergency stairwell to the third floor just in time to see the men standing out front of a room. She could see the door was open and a creepy laugh echoing from the room.

Joker was here!

But…now that she'd found him…what will she do now? She hadn't thought that far ahead. She pulled the vial of toxin from her coat pocket and stared at it. To cause maximum suffering, she had to somehow get it onto Joker's skin to absorb. Ivy said to get 'creative' but how could she get passed Punch and Judy?

"_What'll I do now?"_ she asked herself mentally.

She rested against a wall and slid down it to sit. Her mind played several scenarios on how to get this toxin on him. The one that stood out the most was the easiest and also the most undesirable for her. She didn't know the first thing about seducing a psychopath…

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 5

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 5: J Lohr

Eve sipped on her glass of wine. She was sitting in the hotel restaurant after losing her nerve on the third floor. To avoid staring, she kept her hood up and sat at the bar where very few people were.

"Would you like another glass ma'am?" asked the bartender. He was a short man with dark hair and a heavy build. He spoke with an Italian accent.

"Erm…yes please. Thank you..." Eve said graciously and looked at his nametag, "Mr. Saberio."

"Call me Phil, young miss," he replied.

"Okay, thank you Phil."

Phil replaced a fresh glass of wine in front of her, "That one is on the house ma'am." He smiled at her.

"Thanks. I'm gonna need this tonight." Eve picked up the glass and downed its contents in less than ten seconds.

Phil was busy drying a mug, "Rough night ahead of you?"

"You better believe it…" Eve said mournfully, her voice was slightly shaky from the alcohol, "and I'm not drunk enough to go through with it."

"I see. Well I don't want to pry so you let me know if you want another glass," Phil said.

"I would actually. You know what? Just bring me a whole bottle…" Eve ripped a wad of cash out of her coat pocket and pushed it in front of him. Her eyes were glazing over from drinking but Phil didn't question it.

"Gladly ma'am." Phil picked up the cash and pocketed it. He brought a full bottle of red wine and placed it before her.

"Thanks again." Eve poured herself a fresh glass. Joker was only two floors above her and she was losing her confidence. Perhaps the alcohol would drown out her fears. She picked up the bottle again, ignoring the full glass and she began chugging it down. She didn't realize that someone had seated himself next to her. It was obvious that that person noticed how heavily she was drinking. She managed to finish off the entire bottle.

The stranger commented, "Easy on the J Lohr girly, you're enjoying that bottle a little too much." He then ordered himself a drink.

Eve put the bottle down. Girly? Only one person has ever called her that…

She didn't remove her hood nor did she turn her head. That voice rang in her mind…

It was the Joker sitting there in the bar next to her. Didn't anyone notice him? She then remembered that Punch and Judy were wearing business suits when they entered the hotel. Joker must be in disguise. She carefully pulled back her hood, just enough to peek at the nutcase. At first she didn't recognize him. He was wearing a black business suit and a matching fedora. His unmistakably green hair was tied back in a ponytail and his face had been painted over with a flesh colored makeup. He almost looked normal.

"See something you like girly?" Joker said to her.

Eve kept her face hidden by the hood, "Sorry…" she said, trying to make her voice sound a touch lower than usual.

"Nothing to be sorry about, I'm quite a catch aren't I?" he said, letting loose a chuckle, "So let's see _your_ face."

Eve knocked over her glass of wine in panic and slipped off her stool. Mildly annoyed, Phil grabbed a dishcloth and moved to clean up the mess. Unsure of what she should do next, Eve made a break for it and ran out of the restaurant leaving a frustrated bartender and a curious Joker behind.

She flew into the hotel lobby and rushed for the front desk. She flagged down a concierge, "Sir, please…I need a room."

"Certainly miss," the concierge said, a gentleness in his voice, "How many will be staying?"

"Just me, and I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude, but I'm sort of in a hurry. Any room will do."

"Of course madame. Will the second floor do?" he asked politely.

Eve ripped out a small wallet in her pocket and removed a credit card, "Here's my payment."

The concierge took the card and ran it, "Madame, pardon my asking, but are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just had a few too many drinks and I can't drive home," she lied, "It's safer for me to spend the night here." Well she was only half lying.

"I agree madame." He handed her back the card and gave her a key for her room, "Your room is number 223, second floor, on the right when you get off the elevator."

"Thank you sir." She quickly ran to the elevators down the hall and pushed the 'up' button. She was getting wobblier by the minute. Why did she feel the need to drink so much? The elevator wasn't coming down fast enough and she was getting angry and dizzy to the point where she might not be able to make it to her room.

Finally the damned machine dropped to the first floor and she pushed her way inside, making sure nobody followed. What the hell! Was the Joker crazy for making an appearance in public? Of course he was but at least he was intelligent enough to wear a disguise. The elevator reached the second floor and she got off, going to the right and locating her. By the time she reached her room she nearly fell over with drunkenness. She could barely get the key in the door.

She slammed the door behind her and found the bed, collapsing on top of it. The moment she hit it she was gone.

* * *

Joker watched as the unknown women ran away from him and out of the bar. She kept her face hidden, which struck his interest and he quickly followed her. He saw her talking to the concierge in the lobby. She seemed to be getting a room because she went straight to the elevators afterwards. Punch and Judy warned him upstairs that they believed they were being followed. They couldn't describe who it was because the tail kept their face hidden, just like this woman did. What could she possibly want? He walked up to the concierge who'd just helped the mysterious woman.

The kind gentleman behind the counter noticed the Joker standing at the counter, "Can I help you sir?" Clearly the concierge didn't recognize the clown.

Joker smiled, "Yes, I'm looking for my wife. She's wearing a long black coat with an oversized hood. She had a few too many drinks and I would like to take her home," he lied, "She's terribly shy and keeps her face hidden. I believe I may have seen her standing here a moment ago. By chance did she book a room?"

"Oh yes, she was that young lady who seemed like she was ready to pass out," the concierge replied, "She's in room 223 on the second floor."

"Thank you," Joker said and he smiled and he headed for the elevators.

Whoever was hiding upstairs wasn't a very intelligent person. They left themselves vulnerable and clearly lacked any experience in playing the role of 'tail'. He reached the second floor and found the said room. He placed his ear up against the door; not a single sound resonated from inside. Next he removed a small pin from the inside of his suit and started to pick the lock. There weren't any cameras kept in the hotel so nobody would try to stop him. A few minutes of careful maneuvering and he heard a click. The door popped open and he replaced the pin. He stepped inside and found that mysterious character lying on the bed, out cold from drinking so much.

The stranger's face was still hidden by the coat hood. Joker approached cautiously and reached for the material. He was right, it was a woman and a very odd looking one. She was as pale as he was. Upon closer inspection he noticed her ghostly white hair…strange. He swore he'd seen this woman before…then he remembered…

An enormous grin spread across his face and he started cracking up, "I don't know how you survived a knife wound and a bath in the factory, but I love what its done for your complexion!"

She didn't respond, still too drunk to be aware of anything.

"It's not wise to get wasted in enemy territory girly," he said cheerfully, waving a finger at her. "Now then, what to do…" He tapped his chin. "I could kill her now and be done with it, but that wouldn't be fun now would it?" He crawled onto the bed and seated himself on top of her. He hummed passively while pulling a knife from his pants pocket. Casually he began cutting away at her coat. The cloth separated easily and he pushed apart the pieces. He then cut her red shirt up the front without accidentally slicing through her bra. He had a really good view of her upper body. Joker whistled at her, "Nice rack girly." The stab wound he inflicted on her two years ago was still visible in the form of a scar about three inches long. He admired his handy work for a moment and rolled off her. "I think I'll be taking you with me."

* * *

Eve awoke with a massive hangover and her eyes were stinging from falling asleep with her contacts in. She carefully removed the lenses, "Oh…relief," she said aloud and rolled off the bed…only…it wasn't a bed, it was a lumpy couch. She fell and dropped her lenses when she hit the floor. "Shit…damnit! Where the hell am I?" She looked around the room, which was dimly lit with natural light sneaking through holes in the walls. There was no other furniture in the room. She could feel a draft on her belly and she went to close the front of her coat only to find it shredded to pieces, her shirt included. Only her bra protected her from the world's view. So she didn't bother closing the coat up, the buttons wouldn't clasp.

Only one steel door was present and she got up off the floor and rushed at it, "Son of a bitch!"

Locked. She was trapped.

In a panic she reached inside her coat pockets searching for her gun…it was gone! Then she dug around for another item and she retrieved it. Ivy's toxin was still in her pocket, thankfully. Apparently the person who took her didn't think that stuff was a threat.

She gave up on the door and tried to figure another way out. No vents, no windows, no holes big enough for her to squeeze through. She collapsed on the couch with much disappointment. She needed to rethink her strategy, "Relax Eve…you can do this. Just try to be rational," she said to herself trying to remain calm. She started to feel better, at least until she heard someone approaching from the other side of the door. She leapt to her feet, headache suddenly becoming worse.

She could hear the sound of a deadbolt unlocking and then the door swung open forcefully. Eve looked up at the person standing in the doorway…it was him. "You!"

Green hair…white skin…red eyes…

"Hello girly. Miss me did ya?" he asked happily and he strolled into the room and sat down next to her.

Eve scooted away from him, "You stay away from me you freak!"

"Oh ho! Look who's talking! You and I aren't too far apart in the looks department sweetness, ha!"

"You and I are completely different!" she yelled at him.

"Oh really?" he teased and scooted closer yet again.

Eve backed herself to the arm of the couch, "Yes…You tried to kill me! I would never do that to an innocent!"

His smiling face faded and a look of seriousness took hold of his features, "Then why are you stalking me?"

She hesitated for a moment, "I'm not." It was a pretty bad attempt at lying.

Joker pulled his knife out, "You're a horrible liar. Tell me the truth." He flipped open the blade and pointed it at her, "Come on…out with it."

"There's nothing to tell," she replied.

"Wrong answer!" Joker leapt at her, knocking her over the arm of the couch and the two of them crashed to the floor.

Poor Eve smacked her head on the hard cement but she needed to ignore the pain and keep that knife away from her body. Joker fell onto his side, knife still in hand. He moved to get on top of her but she was a bit quicker than he was and she kneed him in the gut. He toppled back over and she climbed to her feet to make a break for the open door.

Joker recovered fast and he grabbed one of her feet before she could reach the exit. She fell forward with a hard landing on her belly. Joker was upon her in a flash and he flipped her over. He now sat on her belly and pushed the knife towards her face while his other hand came down on her throat, squeezing it harshly.

Eve's hands shot up to grab his armed hand and the other gripped the one choking her. She managed to slow his movements but she could only hold out for so long.

"Face it girly, you can't win this battle!" he said and started cackling.

She grit her teeth and continued pushing against him, her legs were kicking out and she suddenly had an idea. She brought her legs up and quickly wrapped them around his waist. Her feet were placed at his shoulders. With all her might and leg strength she kicked him backwards. The knife flew out of his hand and his head hit the floor hard. She choked and coughed, trying to regain her lost breath. The door remained open; she needed to run. Exhaustion was taking its toll on them both.

With her last bit of strength she stood up and stumbled to the door but she was too slow this time. Joker had gotten up as well. He was hurting and pissed off. He grabbed hold of her shoulder and forced her to face him. Then in one swing, he punched her across the face and she collapsed in a heap.

His chesire grin returned, "It's amazing that it only takes one hit to bring down a woman." Joker then walked to the corner of the room to retrieve his knife and he then knelt down next to the injured Eve, "That was a good move you did. Almost had me there." He seized her face and brought it up to meet his gaze. He squeezed her cheeks and she winced. "Are you ready to tell me now?"

She didn't want to fight him again or take another beating. She nodded her head.

"That a girl!" With her face still in his hand he pulled her to her feet painfully and he walked backwards towards the couch. "Sit," he demanded.

"…" She flinched when her bottom connected with the cushion. She was sore all over. It would be days before she would recover from this.

Joker brought the knife up to her face, "Now then, tell Mr. J all about it…" he said, a lot of interest in his voice.

Her face was so close to his. She looked him directly in the eyes. "I want you dead…"

For a moment there was silence. Then Joker got up from the couch and burst in a fit of laughter. When he finally regained himself he looked at the angry girl on the couch, "Are you kidding me? You? Kill me? That's a riot! And I thought you didn't have a sense of humor!" He ripped a handgun out of his back pocket, "Were you planning to do it with this?" he asked.

Her jaw dropped. So that's where her gun went and he could have shot her at any time.

"It'll take a lot more than a tiny revolver to bring me down." He replaced the gun in his pocket and headed for the door. "Stay in here for a while and think about what you've done young lady." He then slammed the door shut behind him and relocked it.

* * *

Two days later…

She was starving and desperate for a bath. Joker still hadn't returned since their fight two days prior. She was lying on the floor, too weak to scream and shout for help. Not even the Batman would know where to find her at this point. Just when she thought she was going to die she heard the door to the room unlock and in came the nightmare himself.

"So…are you ready to beg for my forgiveness?" Joker asked.

Eve didn't say anything. Her eyes were half shut and her stomach started to do the talking for her.

"Uh-oh, sounds like someone is hungry!" He walked into the room and knelt down next to her. He tapped her on the cheek and she turned her head to look up at him. "Oh! Look at that shiner!" He touched the enormous black circle rimming her left eye and she let out a small yelp. "If you promise to behave, I'll let you eat something."

She nodded.

"Gotta say it girly, c'mon."

"Y…yes…" she barely managed.

"Good!" Joker then gathered her up in his arms and carried her out of the room. She finally got to see outside that room. It looked like an abandoned military unit "Do you know why I haven't killed you yet girly?"

She shook her head no, "Why…wait…"

"Because, you're so much more fun than you were two years ago. You fight back now and I find it amusing that you took it upon yourself to try and kill me yourself."

"I hate you…" she replied.

"I know girly, thanks for the flattery."

He was a lunatic, but he did keep his end of the bargain by feeding her and she didn't expect him to take her to a bathroom next. He made sure to lock her inside until she finished cleaning herself up. She took advantage of the alone time and took almost an hour to shower. The water was cold but she didn't care. She also found several bathroom products in the cabinets lining the walls. Joker may have been a scumbag but he, like every other human being, preferred to be clean. She shampooed, washed, and even managed to shave her legs though she can't imagine needing to show them off any time soon. She did consider using the razor as a weapon but decided against it because he had her gun.

After the bath she just let herself air dry and put her clothes back on. They were ragged and filthy and needed replacing. She didn't have much choice at the moment. Before exiting the bathroom, she made sure Ivy's toxin was safely in her pocket.

Apparently, Joker was ahead of the game and he was holding a set of clothes, "Put these on." He shoved them into her hands and pointed at the bathroom.

Eve glanced over the clothes, "Great…you would give me inmate attire."

"Would you prefer to go naked?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

Eve flipped him the bird and returned to the bathroom.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 6

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 6: That Room

Eve twirled a strand of her hair from boredom. She prayed that Joker would let her out of the room soon. Her desperation for a bathroom was getting urgent and she did not want to fall back on the corner of the room again like three days ago for personal business. She was lying across the couch still recovering from her injuries. The black eye she sustained was receding and her cheek stopped aching. Some ice for her eye would have been wonderful.

Eventually, one of Joker's henchmen came to let her out. She could never tell them apart and unlike their boss, they never tried to hurt her on purpose. While she used the restroom, he waited outside. With much relief and freshly cleaned hands, Eve set foot outside the door and the moment she did, a set of strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the ground.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she shouted, "Put me down!"

The henchman carried her in a different direction than what she was used to. The military compound was gigantic and they spent several minutes passing through hallways. Soon enough, they came to a steel reinforced door. Eve was let go inside of the room but not before her escort decided to knock her on her backside and pick up one of her feet. It didn't really hurt her. He dragged her across the floor by the foot where a chain had been waiting in the corner. He then attached the chain to her ankle with a provided cuff and left her alone in the room.

Try as she might, Eve could not pry off the cuff. "I'd have to cut off my foot to get loose…eww. Well, at least this room is clean and has furniture." It was starting to become a habit…talking to herself that is. Arkham would gladly accept her back if they think she were schizophrenic. She pulled herself to her feet and looked at the nearby bed, which looked surprisingly comfortable. It lay between two freestanding cabinets. She flopped down onto the mattress for a much needed nap.

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

"Mmmmm…" Eve grumbled. Someone was prodding on her head and she opened her eyes slowly. Surprise, surprise…it was the psychotic head case. "Haven't you tormented me enough?" She rolled over to face away from Joker, not caring if he got mad.

"Don't screw with me girly, I'm not in the mood," he said and picked up the chain. He gave it a harsh tug, jerking her to the edge of the bed and he flipped her onto her back.

Eve was wide-awake now, "Why are you doing this? Her eyes were wide with shock.

"Because I like torturing my victims. That was a really stupid question," he replied and crawled on top of her. "Also, do you remember that little favor you owe me?"

Eve's body froze out of panic.

"What's the matter girly? Do I make you nervous?"

"You terrify me," she squeaked. Not only was she flustered; her body was starting to shake. If this is how she got when he crawled all over her, how would she manage to get the toxin to make contact with his skin?

"That's good news!" he said and chuckled.

She shifted beneath him, trying to squeeze out from underneath.

"Careful, you might excite me," he stated.

She glared at him and pushed against his chest. "Get off."

He didn't listen and let his body relax upon hers, "Make me."

Fuming, she did the only thing that she could think of and brought her unshackled foot up as hard as she could, kneeing him right in the groin. It was probably the first time she ever saw him in agonizing pain. He didn't make a sound, but his face said it all and she probably sealed her own fate. For a moment she regretted her action, until she heard him release wave after wave of ear splitting cackles. What the hell is wrong with this guy?

She tried to push him off. His laughs were beginning to scare her. She didn't succeed on her own and she didn't have to because Joker backed off and slid away from her, laughing all the way out the door.

* * *

The broken mirror served its general purpose. Eve stared at her reflection. Her eye had healed over and Joker did not give her any new injuries. After she kicked the other day, he ignored her completely. Only Punch and Judy would come to the room to take her out. It was a surprise that Joker hadn't killed her yet. That favor she supposedly owed him…was that the reason? He wanted her for something.

She spent the past hour in the shower, cleaning every part of her body and shaving. She let her hair air-dry.

It's been so long since she's seen the outside. Cabin fever would probably set in soon.

Eve glanced at the counter top below the mirror. Her vial of toxin sat before her. She had enough of Joker's games and decided today was the day to attempt it. She would hate herself for life…

Three hours later…

She needed to figure out how she was going to do this. Not only that, she had no idea when Joker would be back. He came when he felt like it.

"Just get it over with Eve," she told herself and she unbuttoned her top. She held the vial in her other hand. It was a black colored liquid but it was also transparent. She poured a small amount in her hand. It felt very thin, like water in her hand. She then rubbed some of the liquid on her chest and underneath the straps of her bra. Hopefully that shot Ivy gave her would protect her.

She poured more liquid in her hand and went underneath her bra this time, making sure to distribute a larger amount around her breasts and over the nipples. Another portion was layered over her belly and down to the top of her pants. She dreaded the next area she needed to cover. She spread the most toxin down her lower belly and all over her genitals. The final amount was rubbed along her inner thighs. She threw the empty vial across the room and lay down on the bed, letting the cool air in the room touch her skin. She could feel the moisture beginning to dry, "Ivy, this better work…" Otherwise it was all for nothing…

It was a decent amount of time before she saw the Joker yet again. He entered the room swiftly, locked the steel door again, and directed his attention towards her. Eve could see he was still upset about that kick to the balls and she quickly rolled off the bed trying to put as much space between them as possible. She could only go so far.

"What do you want?" she asked but she received no response. He stepped towards her menacingly. "Joker, stop…" she demanded and to her surprise…he did. But it wasn't over.

Joker pulled a revolver from inside his coat. Her revolver. He pointed it at her, "Any last requests?"

Out of fear, Eve fell to her knees, "Don't do this…please…"

Joker grinned and pulled back the gun, scratching his head with the barrel, "Let me think about it…" he said blissfully, "I think I want to." He pointed the gun at her again.

Tears began streaming down her face. There was no way she could survive Joker shooting at almost point blank range. "Joker…please don't, I'll do anything!"

"Ha! Already begging for your life! Well girly…say goodbye…" Joker pulled the trigger and Eve squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the impact.

It was over in a moment and Eve opened her eyes with confusion. Joker keeled over with laughter and he threw the gun at her. She caught the weapon and looked it over. He had adjusted it! There was a flag hanging out of the barrel with the word 'bang' on it.

"You should have seen your face!" he shouted.

She threw the gun at him, missing. That was humiliating for her. He was rolling on the floor, holding his stomach in a fit of hysterics. While he was preoccupied with humor at her expense, she felt this might be her opportunity. She forced herself to smile…

After he calmed down, he sat up to see how the silly girl reacted to his teasing. The smile on his face faded when he saw her smiling back at him.

Eve decided she better start stringing him along, "That was a good one. You really had me going for a second there."

His grin returned, "Glad you liked it girly. Most people don't share my sense of humor. Heh!" He got to his feet and wandered over to the bed to sit, "By the way, your fake smile isn't convincing me."

"Why do I need to be convincing? I thought you liked it when people smiled."

"Why sure, girly. I love to see a smile on a person's face moments before they die."

Eve then thought up a reply he might fall for, "Well I thought you'd like to see me smile. I can take a joke…even if it's pointing a fake gun in my face."

"I can point a gun in your face more often if it makes you happy sweets," he replied slyly and lay back on the bed.

"You would," she said sarcastically and crossed her arms to her chest. The conversation wasn't really going anywhere. She needed to push harder, "There's a lot of things that make me happy, other than sick jokes."

"Oh really? Things such as?" he curiously asked.

"I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"C'mon, you can trust the Joker."

"But if I tell you, I'll have to kill you…I was gonna do that anyways…" She got up from the floor and walked over to the side of the bed.

"Sure girly, I'd like to see you attempt it. I'll take you out before you get near me." Joker sat up, "Even if you managed to kill me…I'd still get the last laugh."

She leaned forward, just enough to tower above him, "Would you like to know how I'd go about killing you?"

He smiled, "Show me."

In the back of her mind she told herself to get on with it, but her subconscious told her to stop. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. Eve knelt onto the bed next to him, "I'd find a way to keep a hidden weapon on my person."

"That's not very original, but go on," he replied.

"It would be a weapon not visible to the naked eye." She crawled over him, pushing his hair away from his neck. When Joker didn't move or try to shove her off, she sat down on his lap, her legs resting on either side of him.

"An invisible weapon? And where would you keep this so-called weapon?" He figured he'd humor her a little. There was no way she'd ever be able to get rid of him, not in this lifetime at least. But he did wonder what was running through her mind when she climbed on top of him. He didn't know…and he was waiting for her to make her next move.

She eyed his hands, which lay neatly on his stomach. She touched them both and slipped her hands underneath, "May I borrow these?"

"I may need those later," he joked.

"I'll return them in good order." She then picked up his hands and placed them on her belly. "A girl can hide weapons anywhere." She guided his hands upwards.

"I'm aware of that. Do continue though…I like where this is going." It was out of character for him, but its been such a long time since he's been this close to a woman…not since before his little accident at the chemical factory. He could feel her warmth right through her clothes. His body was reacting to it.

She swallowed her pride and dragged his hands up to her covered breasts, "A very common place is inside the bra."

"Are you suggesting a strip search?" he asked. "If you are, then we'll be doing things my way. I'll find this 'hidden weapon' of yours and use it against you." He then sat up and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her off of him and readjusted the two of them so he was on top. Then he grabbed hold of her shirt and tore off a long piece of fabric.

Eve didn't resist. This was exactly what she wanted. However it was a bit much for him to be tying up her wrists. Joker made sure they were tight and he attached them to the headboard of the bed. She wouldn't be able to get away.

"Where to begin?" He scratched his chin, "Well since you initiated this, I'll just pick up where you left off," he said and he snatched the front of her shirt with both and forcibly tore it apart, leaving her bra the only protection between them both. Joker removed his knife from within his coat and pulled open the blade, "Let's see what you've got hidden underneath, hm?" He slipped the knife beneath the thick material of her bra and cut upwards, breaking through the under wire and shredding apart the cloth. Her breasts were now visible and his eyes lingered on the soft looking mounds. "Like I said before, nice rack girly." He tossed the knife aside and dove onto her; his hands wandered all over her chest and squeezed at her flesh.

Eve couldn't help but begin to feel aroused. Still she did nothing to stop him. The toxin would do the job for her. She had to keep telling herself not to look so serious so she blatantly squirmed and inhaled some air to resemble pleasure.

"It's been a long time since I've indulged like this. You're a lucky girl…" he said and knelt forward so his face was centimeters from her chest.

Her breath caught in her throat when she felt a wet muscle connect to her flesh and swirl around her left nipple. His long green dreadlocks spread out around her chest. He nipped at her and spent an ample amount of time on each mound until the pale white flesh turned a dull pink. Her nipples were erect and he backed off, admiring the new rosy coloration. He then lowered himself to her belly, leaving a trail of wet kisses in his wake until he reached the top of her cotton pants.

She pulled at her restraints, trying to break them free so she could figure out a way to gain access to his skin. He could kiss and lick her all he wanted but the real object was for him to expose as much of his skin as she could and get the toxin into him.

Those pants of hers slipped right off and he found that she wore no undergarments, "Going commando? Were you expecting for something like this to happen? Well no matter…I'll take advantage of the situation." He then forced her legs apart and jammed two of his fingers inside her body.

Eve cried out, not from pain, but from overwhelming pleasure.

"Oh girly…its like Niagara falls down here," he said. His fingers could easily slide around and he started with a steady pace, "Still no weapons sweets, I'm beginning to think you were bluffing. Would you care to explain?"

She couldn't speak, only moan as his fingers worked her.

"No?" Then perhaps I should try more drastic measures…" he said.

Eve could feel him removing his fingers and for a brief moment he moved away from her. Then her body exploded with a boiling heat as something slippery and flexible entered her. She glanced downwards, but could only make out the top of his head. His face was buried within her core. Both of his arms were placed underneath her thighs to hold her still. His skilled tongue lapped at her delicate petals and dipped into her center.

She sucked in a sharp breath as she fell into his seductions. Her hips began to undulate and her legs relaxed.

Joker was enjoying every second of it. He knew she was completely under his spell. But he was not as strong as he wanted to be because he could feel his own desires welling up. His slacks tightened around his groin and he really wanted relief as much as she probably did. While he continued licking at her, he released her legs to undo his pants. His massive erection sprung out and he began to stroke himself while his other hand undid the buttons on his jacket. He stripped off several layers consisting of his coat, vest, and undershirt until he was half nude.

"G…god damn…" Eve managed to say. The pressure in her lower belly was swelling and spiraling. She thought she would burst if he didn't bring her into rapture soon.

He couldn't take it anymore and didn't trust her enough to force her into oral sex on him. So he stopped licking and sucking at her and removed the last bit of his clothes, tossing them to the floor.

She was heavily disappointed when he stopped his ministrations. She watched as he wiped away a heavy amount of fluid from his chin and neck. He had saved her a step by removing his own clothes. Only…she never anticipated taking it this far and now it was too late…

"I hope you're ready for me little missy…because I'm coming whether you want me to or not." Then he realized what he'd just said, "Ha! That was a good one!" He then positioned himself between her legs, resting on his haunches. His hands grasped onto her hips and he lifted her lower body to meet with his. He slipped her legs around his waist.

She could feel the tip of his throbbing length at her opening, waiting to enter and she closed her eyes again, knowing what was to come of this.

In one fast movement, Joker shoved his entire length into the raging fire. Her body had such intensity that he felt he may not last long. He created a pace that was comfortable and enjoyed the searing heat that met with every thrust. It took a lot of stamina for him to keep his pace. He was losing his focus on everything except her.

Eve's body trembled and her back arched. "…" She tried to talk several times but the closer she got to the grand finale, the harder it became. Her legs tightened around him as if trying to pull him in deeper.

Joker was close to his own release, but he refused to be the only one. He may be a bad guy but he refused to show a lacking of skills and orgasm alone. To help get her there faster, he touched the tiny pearl hovering above her opening and started to rub. The sensation would push her over the top. As expected, she started gasping and swallowing large amounts of air.

She couldn't hold back…

The boiling pot finally spilled…

Eve screamed bloody murder as her orgasm flooded her entire being. The sensation was beautiful.

Her cries of lust sent him over the edge and he released a vicious growl. He released every bit of his essence into her and fell. His head landed on her chest; too tired to do anything else.

"Can you release my hands now?" she requested.

He slowly looked up at her face. She had the look of satisfaction on her face…it was mildly eerie. Joker reached up over her head and undid the knot in the fabric. Her hands dropped and she did not even try to push him off.

Her breathing became steadier. Joker was still lying on her chest.

The longer he stayed like that…the better…

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 7

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch 7: Run

Joker tried to roll over but something was pinning his arm in place, preventing him from moving. He stretched his legs and blinked several times to wake up. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he looked to his right and saw Eve sleeping peacefully next to him. One of her arms was draped across his belly and her head was resting on his shoulder. The situation made him a bit uncomfortable. This woman wanted him dead, he nearly killed her two years ago…and now he was sleeping with her. Something didn't feel right and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. For now, he would continue acting as if nothing was wrong and he slipped his trapped arm out from under her. He pushed aside her hand and sat up.

Both of their clothes were strewn about on the floor. Joker slid out of bed and began to gather up his portion…until he froze momentarily. There was a pang in his stomach, not from hunger. It slowly crept up to his chest. At first it made him nervous because it started to burn but the shooting pain stopped just short of his throat and dulled. He glanced at his bare stomach for any patches of burnt skin, but he found nothing.

After dressing and getting ready to leave he felt it again, "Shit…" he cursed and began rubbing the burning spot. It wouldn't stop. His undershirt only irritated it, "Where the hell did this come from?" He grit his teeth and spun around to look at the sleeping Eve. Could she be the cause? Was this the invisible weapon she spoke of? He dwelled on it for a moment and left the room.

An hour later…

Eve was sitting up in bed wondering when she passed out the previous night. She scolded herself for lowering her guard so much. Joker could have killed her! She swung her feet over the side of the bed and got up. "Oh my…" she said, barely audible. There was a warm and sticky sensation on her inner thighs and she knew it was something that didn't previously belong to her. She supposed that was the result of not using protection and used one of the bed sheets to clean it off. Her clothes were scattered everywhere except for her pants, which were wrapped around the chain. Joker wouldn't unshackle her even for a romp. Her thought process focused on escaping the compound as she dressed.

"There's got to be something," she said after putting on her shoes. Her chain only went so far, but she made it over to the nearest cabinet and opened its doors. "Nice." There were tiny screws holding the hinges of the door together. After a few good tugs, one of the rusted doors popped off and she went straight to unscrewing the hinges.

She spent more than thirty minutes twisting the screw by hand. Her fingers were bleeding by the time she got it out, "Finally!"

It barely fit, but the screw was able to maneuver into the keyhole of the chain. Eve turned the screw in every direction until the cuff split apart, freeing her foot. "Yes!" She threw the chain aside and rushed for the door. It was going to need picking as well and she shoved the entire length of the screw into the lock. This wasn't to be like the shackle…

It took a full hour for her to open the door. Her fingers bled so badly that they were beginning to resemble candy canes.

The compound was like a maze and there were few windows, none within her reach.

* * *

Joker was hunched forward in his chair in utter pain. His brow was sweaty and his vibrant green hair stuck to the back of his neck. His lungs felt like they were going to burst.

His two flunkies, Punch and Judy were at a loss. They've never seen their boss in this state before.

Normally Joker was immune to illness…at least as far as he knew. He thought back to that morning when the pain started and then his thoughts shifted to the night before. That girl…she must know something about this.

"I'm going to kill her," Joker stated, "Punch. Judy. Bring her to me," he demanded. The two thugs did as they were told and left the room. Seconds later a wave of nausea suddenly struck the clown violently and he keeled over the armrest. The room began spinning and he tightly shut his eyes to make it stop but nothing could prevent the accompanying dry heaves and burning stomach. "I'm gonna kill her…" he repeated.

Twenty minutes later, Punch and Judy returned, empty-handed.

Joker was mildly feeling better and he stared at his flunkies, "Well? Where is she?"

Both thugs shrugged their shoulders.

"She's gone? You morons! Go and find her!" he shouted. Punch and Judy scrambled away to find Eve. Joker ignored his ailing stomach and got up from his chair, "How the fuck did she get out?" He started pacing, trying to think of ways he could finish the job he started two years ago. Strangling? No. Stabbing perhaps…too messy. Maybe shooting her was best? No…too easy. He stopped walking in circles and smiled, "I think my little girly will be happiest if I give her a watery grave…in the Gotham Bay. This time she won't have a bat to save her."

* * *

Eve ran as fast as she could. She had made to the front of the compound, however one of Joker's flunkies had spotted her and they were now chasing her. She turned down hallways and cut around crates and boxes. Her exhaustion was getting worse, a combination of not eating anything since the night before and poor living conditions. Plus she was tired of running…

Soon enough, she was able to outrun the thugs and stopped just before a door to catch her breath. She leaned against the wall, not noticing the door behind her opening slowly.

"Hello girly…"

Eve jumped a mile and turned around, "Gah!" She didn't get a chance to run. Joker threw a punch at her, knocking against a wall. She struggled to get up; the pain in her face was overwhelming. He struck her in the same spot as before and she could already feel the bruise forming once again. She managed to get to her feet to try and get away, but he quickly grasped her by the throat and squeezed. "J…Joker…guh! Enough!"

"Oh you haven't had enough girly…" he replied with a broad grin and he dragged her into the darkened room. He shoved her up against a wall, "You still owe me a favor, sweet cheeks." He turned her around, smashing her face into the wall.

Tears poured out of her eyes, when her head struck the concrete.

Joker, with his free hand, grabbed a large handful of her hair and yanked it, tilted her head back so he could look at her eyes, "I'm giving you one chance. Tell me what you did to me and I might let you live a little longer to repay that favor." He whipped her around, still holding her hair…

Eve was truly scared as she looked into those deadly red eyes.

Losing his patience a little at a time, "Well?"

She hesitated for a moment and then admitted, "Toxin…"

"I'm immune to toxins…now tell me the truth!" He backhanded her across the face.

"I'm not lying! "

Joker let go of her hair, "I was right…you are a good actress. You had me falling for your little performance last night. That's how you got me, playing on a man's weaknesses. Well missy…you were a good fuck. So…what shall I do with you now? I want a cure for this illness and I suppose you want your life."

Her face was pounding and her lip bled from the strike.

"Okay…so…about the toxin now girly, is there a remedy for it?" he asked.

Eve thought for a moment. Ivy had given her an injection, but Joker didn't need to know that. She shook her head 'no'. Seconds later she was met with a punch to the stomach and she fell to her knees, both arms grasping her sore belly.

Joker knelt down next to her; his face just inches away from hers, "It doesn't have to be this way sweetness, " he whispered, "You can end this pain…" It was out of character for him to be so serious with her…it was downright creepy. "So girly, what's it gonna be?"

Anger welled up inside her. She was tired of his games and abuse…she wanted his death to be slow and painful. There was no way she would back out of this now and tell him about the remedy. She brought her knee up as hard as she could; the strike connected with his chin, knocking the wind out of him. Joker fell backwards from the force of her hit. Eve took the opportunity to get up and run…only one place stood out in her mind that she would be safe from the nutcase…

Arkham asylum…

* * *

Eve had managed to locate the exit to the compound after narrowly escaping Punch and Judy. They were still on her heels though and most likely were informing Joker of her whereabouts.

The asylum was a long ways away and to top it all off, it was pouring rain. The wind tore away at her face, chilling her down to the bone. She fled into the streets of Gotham, nearly getting hit by a few cars. She received several glares and an overabundance of honking horns. Nobody seemed to notice that two giant thugs were on her tail.

Back at the compound, Joker was suffering immensely as he stumbled into the blue storage truck. His chest was tight and even his arms and legs were on fire. He needed that remedy fast. He glanced up into the rear view mirror and saw his image…only he was beginning to look sick. His white skin was clammy and his eyes were glassy. A layer of sweat spread across his forehead. It was going to be a nightmare to drive. He would have to catch up with his two henchmen who were tracing the girl's every step. They weren't too far…

He sped through traffic and once drove up on the sidewalk to avoid a red light. There was only one place he could think of besides the police station and Batman's hideout where she would attempt to run. He guaranteed that she would go to the asylum thinking he wouldn't follow.

"Your in for a surprise girly…"

Several miles later, his stomach began to lurch and spasm. He slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt on the street curb. He slammed open the truck door and fell out onto his knees coughing and sputtering. His insides were on fire.

Pedestrians nearby saw the fallen Joker and a few showed a little concern.

"Hey mister, are you alright?" a young boy asked.

Joker briefly looked up at the kid, "Get lost kid…" he said harshly and the kid ran back to where his mother was waiting. There were other people around staring at him, clearly they knew who he was and did nothing, out of fear. He tried to relax and get past the dizzy spell and nausea but his body kept doing just the opposite and he began coughing violently again. This time he spat out several ounces of fluid…blood to be exact. He collapsed to the ground following the fit and began mumbling something.

The people around him began looking at each other and the woman who was mother to young boy pulled a cell phone out of her purse and dialed a number.

Joker couldn't see or hear who the woman was contacting…he fell into an unconscious state.

* * *

She lost them; finally…as expected, they wouldn't go into the asylum. It's funny…she was going to the one place she hated most to ask for protection. She burst through the front gates and crossed the bridge leading into the nuthouse. Two guards met her…one recognized her…

"Hey! Look who's back! What's the matter darlin? Didn't you get enough treatment already?"

She ignored the stupid questions. "I need help…"

Both guards busted out in laughter. The black haired one chuckled and stated, "Well you're in the right place then."

"Not mental help you moron! Can you call the police, I have two thugs and one nut job chasing me down!"

Still laughing at her expense, the black haired guard escorted her inside the asylum and to Dr. Strange's office. "Wait here," he said and he left the oversized office.

Eve looked around; it was the same as before. Bookshelves lined the walls, paintings of wine bottles and crystal flutes, and that same large oak desk covered in paperwork remained in the center of the room. She saw two chairs, one in front of the desk and one behind it. The one in back was large and decorated with embroidered brown leather; obviously Strange still had a taste for fine luxuries. She settled herself into the first chair…this reminded her of the sessions she had with the psychiatrist so long ago. For a few minutes she sat alone in the room staring at the rows upon rows of books.

Eventually the door leading into the room had opened. She looked to the doorway…

"Greetings Miss Noel."

Eve stared at the doctor, "It's Eve…or have you not heard my name has changed?"

Dr. Strange looked at her skeptically, scratching his chin, "Very well Miss Eve." He slowly made his way over to the leather chair and seated himself, "I hear you're in quite the predicament and in need of assistance."

"Yeah…um, well you see…"

"You're being hunted down by the Joker."

Her eyes shot up, "How'd you know it was him? I didn't say anything about him to the guards…"

"Well my dear Eve, we have received a phone call from Gotham city hospital concerning the Joker's health. Not only have they reported that he is in their care…they have stated that a person of your description is somehow involved."

"What? I don't know what you're talking-"

"You ought to young lady. The Joker was picked up in a severely weakened condition and is residing in critical condition. I spoke with two different doctors. Each mentioned a woman of your description and I believe there is no other person in the world besides you with white pupils. Is there something you would like to share with me, young Miss?" Dr. Strange asked, clasping his hands together and letting them rest on his desk.

"No, there isn't anything…" she lied.

"Save it Eve," said a third party within the room.

She spun around in her seat. Even Dr. Strange was taken by surprise and glanced around the confused girl.

It was the Batman. He'd somehow gotten into the room unnoticed, "I know you are behind the Joker's sickness."

She glared at him, "You think I'm responsible?"

The Bat's eyes narrowed, "Like I said…you _are_ the reason."

"That's a pretty strong accusation Batman," she retaliated, "Do you have evidence of this?"

Batman stepped around the side of the desk to face her and the doctor; "I received a call from the police department after they picked up the Joker. He was incoherent when they found him and mumbling something about a toxin. He also mentioned a person with your description…and the name Noel."

"That doesn't prove a thing!" she shouted.

"Eve…when Joker mentioned toxin, my first thought was Poison Ivy and the doctors had confirmed he was under the influence of a plant based chemical. I already interviewed Ivy and she spilled the details," Batman said.

Eve's mouth hung open in disbelief. Ivy betrayed her…well they weren't really partners to begin with and Ivy had no obligation to her. "…But…"

"Eve…you were given a second chance. Why did you do it?" the dark knight asked.

"…" She didn't know what to say.

Dr. Strange glanced back and forth between the two, "Interesting work you've done Batman. Your obsession with justice is so…intriguing."

There were two orderlies standing in the doorway and Dr. Strange signaled for them to come in. He then pointed at the angry girl. The two men, one being the black haired guard from outside quickly grabbed hold of Eve's arms and locked them behind her back.

"Ow! Hey! What're you doing?" she screamed.

"I'm sorry my dear," Strange started, "But we must hold you in custody. Take her to the examination room," he told the orderlies.

Batman then followed the two men and Eve out of the office.

* * *

She was strapped down to a table; the Batman and Dr. Strange were also there, discussing something amongst themselves.

Eve was tired of being under constant suspicion and surveillance, "Will you please untie me? This is ridiculous!"

Apparently her screaming did accomplish something because the Bat looked at her and approached the table, "Eve, I need a vial of your blood."

"What!" She struggled against her bonds.

Batman pulled a small needle from his utility belt. There was a tube attached. "I told you I'd spoken to Ivy about this toxin and she admitted to not having any antidotes available. She said the last of the remedy she had was given to you. She also refused to turn over the process for creating more. So I am going to develop one without her help."

"Using me as a guinea pig? No!" she shouted as Batman closed in on her. "Get away!"

"Sorry Eve," he said, "You are a part of this and you're going to be of some help to revive the Joker."

"Revive him?"

Batman nodded, "He's very close to death, in fact he's in a coma."

"What gives you the right to do this to me?" she demanded.

"The moment you poisoned Joker you gave up all rights to being a civilian. You used the incident from two years ago to exact your revenge against the Joker. You have a motive and you had help. What you've done is attempted murder Eve and there is no way around it. Once the Joker is out of the woods, he will be going back to Arkham and you will be going to court." Batman then stuck the needle into her forearm and started withdrawing a decent amount of plasma.

She lay on the table in complete silence from then on…wondering if the entire revenge plot was worth it now…

* * *

To be continued….


	9. Chapter 8

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch 8: Revenge

"Are you certain this will work?"

"Yes doctor. There was no other way to create an antidote besides retrieving a sample from the girl. Joker would be dead long before Ivy could have developed additional serums."

"I hope your right Batman," the doctor specified.

For the past three hours, the Bat and the doctor worked in Gotham hospital's laboratory. It was Doctor Matthews, the hospital's chief physician who agreed to allow the Joker to remain under hospital care.

Batman held a vial of light red liquid in the air, "It's finished…now then; Joker will be the first test subject and hopefully the last. Take me upstairs so I can administer this."

The third floor to the hospital had been blocked off and there were police officers everywhere, only to guard one room. When the Bat reached the floor he was met with Commissioner Gordon.

"That was quick," Gordon stated.

Batman nodded, "No time to spare."

Gordon led his longtime friend into room number 306, where the Joker had been heavily guarded.

It was a pitiful sight…Joker had tubes everywhere. One in particular was keeping him alive. A long tube hung from the clown's mouth and connected with a respirator. It ran all the way down his throat and into the lungs, keeping a steady airflow.

"He's under every medication known to man it seems. Pain, nausea, sedatives, you name it. That remedy you have is all that's left," Gordon said. He looked at the Joker, "Still I always wonder why we allow this madman to live. He's killed thousands of people and continuously escapes Arkham to run amok."

Batman glanced at the commissioner, "It's not like you to say that, but I can understand your feelings. We allow the Joker to live because like his victims, he's another human being. I feel that no matter how far a person falls, they can always be saved." He stepped to the side of the bed and prepared a syringe with the red liquid. He then pushed the tiny needle into one of the multiple IVs. The fluid flowed slowly down the tube and into the Joker's forearm. "We'll see what happens."

Gordon agreed, "Yes."

* * *

Three days later…

Joker's eyes cracked open, greeted with a dim light in the room. He was alone…

He tried to talk, but it came out as a slurred moan. In panic from losing his voice, he bolted upright in the bed and saw that his arms were loaded with IVs and an assortment of other tubes. He felt an object in his mouth and tried to push it out with his tongue but it wasn't working. His arms were not restrained so he quickly grabbed hold of the tube and started to yank it from his throat. He gagged and gasped several times until the tube was fully out of him. Joker felt as if he'd just coughed up a lung. Next he tore the tubes and IVs from his arms, not caring if he bled from the roughness.

It was Gotham hospital…

Joker slipped out of bed and made his way towards the door, still woozy from all the medications. He needed to get out of there before the authorities took him back to Arkham.

"Not so fast Joker."

The clown turned around towards the only window in the room and grinned when he saw the dark figure resting on the sill. "Batsy…paying your old friend Joker a visit?"

"This is no visit Joker, I'm here to make sure you don't escape," Batman replied.

"I'm flattered Batsy but I have some unfinished business to attend to." Joker reached into his hospital gown sleeves and was surprised to find his normal deck of razor sharp cards missing. "Shit." He was too exhausted to attack Batman head on physically so he tried yanking open the door.

"Don't bother, there's police waiting outside the door. You're going back to Arkham Joker…like it or not."

Arkham? Joker smiled…that is likely where the girl was, however…

"So Batsy…I'll bet you know everything that happened. How did I get here? Humor the old jokester would ya?"

"You were poisoned Joker. I'm not certain how it happened but I know of the one who's responsible and she is in custody as we speak."

The crazy lunatic began to laugh. Batman was confused, "What is so funny?"

"I find it ironic how this situation is turning out. The good girl was nearly killed two years ago by yours truly and now she's turned the tables on me…and almost succeeded from what I can see. By the way…how did you manage to find a cure for this Batsy?"

"The girl. We extracted a pint of her blood and were able to create an anti-toxin."

"So in other words…I am now immune to this poison?"

"Your body did fight back and recovered," Batman said.

Joker grinned, "Good to know…"

The conversation bought Joker a little bit of time to regain his strength and he leapt at the Batman, throwing a punch at the vigilante's head. It connected but Batman returned the favor by nailing him in the gut. It was a strong strike and in his current state, Joker collapsed to the floor in a heap holding his stomach tightly.

Looking down at his worst enemy, Batman said, "Your going back to the asylum…"

* * *

An entire month had gone by and Eve was kept in a regular prison cell until a court was available for her case. When it finally came to go to court…she knew it would be a short trial. There was plenty of evidence for what she did…

She was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder…or twenty-five years in Arkham asylum for the strictest rehabilitation treatment made available. It was her only chance to see freedom again…she chose to return to Arkham.

The cell…

"I don't want to be here," she said to herself and curled up in the corner of the padded room. She had just got out of a therapy session with Dr. Strange and her brain was fried from being asked so many probing questions. She wouldn't be allowed into group therapy for at least another month. What made matters worse, she knew the Joker was alive and well…her plan had failed. He was residing in Arkham again as well under strict supervision, but she doubted he would hang around the asylum for much longer. He was probably plotting escape already.

She lie down on the floor, her knees to her chest and tears pouring down her cheeks. She was so close to getting rid of him. "Damn him!" she yelled and rolled to her other side, facing the padded wall. "This is all his fault!"

She cried herself to sleep…

It was the middle of the night…around 2 am. Eve woke to the sound of scratching. At first it frightened her and she wasn't sure where it was coming from. She squeezed her eyes shut to try and ignore it. It was probably a mouse scrounging for food.

Another hour passed by and she woke up again, this time there was no scratching sounds. She remained relaxed and closed her eyes to try and go back to sleep. She switched positions on the cushioned floor, laying on her back now. A few moments went by and she felt a small about of debris hit her face. She brushed away the annoying particles and tried to fall asleep again. More debris fell on her and she sat up. "What the?" She shook her hair, getting the tiny bits of dust out and moved the other side of the room. She glanced up at the wall but couldn't see where the dirt was coming from. At night, Arkham was almost pitch black save for the tiny light coming from the hallways underneath the cell doors. Eve suddenly heard a thump within her cell followed by what sounded like breathing.

In a panic she back herself into a corner, "Who's there?" she asked into the darkness.

A light chuckling replied back at her.

She recognized that laugh and immediately turned towards the door to scream for help. However before she could spout off any cries, two hands, one around her mouth and the other tightly around her waist pulled her away from the door.

"Shh…girly, quiet down…" Joker said.

"Mhhhmmm!" she squealed against his hand and shook her head 'no' several times.

"Very well then…I was hoping you wouldn't force me to do this." He pushed her down to the floor, her cheek met with the cushions. "Don't scream…and I won't kill you on the spot." He then slowly released her mouth.

"What do you want?" she spat out through tears.

"My favor…"

"I'm not helping you to escape! Figure it out on your own. I'm already in enough trouble because of you!"

"I'm not looking to escape yet…" he replied.

"Well then get lost! I have nothing that you could benefit from!"

"You have plenty that I can benefit from, girly."

She struggled beneath him and he flipped her over onto her back. He sat down on her stomach, somewhat crushing her.

"You got your antidote Joker! There's no toxin out there that can kill you! Now leave me be, I've got years of rehabilitation ahead of me in order to get out of this dump!"

He laughed and said, "There's no better therapy available than Joker's!"

"What are you talking? Oh my god, you are fucking insane! Get off me!"

Joker grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged it down, pulling her head back and exposing her neck to him, "I could break your neck at will, sweets."

"Then do it or get out!"

Joker leaned forward, his hand still tangled in her locks. His lips were next to her ear, "I would rather have you alive."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? You wanted me dead not too long ago!" She reached up at him, trying to go for the throat. Maybe she could flip him off and call for the guards.

Joker let go of her hair and caught her arms, stretching them over her head and keeping them locked in place with one hand. "Don't try it girly. I know you too well."

"You know nothing about me…" she retorted, "I say it again, get out."

Joker sighed and leaned in once again, his nose touched hers, "Make me…"

She tugged and pulled, trying to get her hands loose, "Why haven't you killed me yet? You had plenty of opportunity just now."

"Like I said, I would rather have you alive than dead."

"Why?"

"Listen to the statement carefully girl," he said, "I would rather _have_ you alive than dead."

She repeated the sentence over and over in her head and it finally sunk in. "No!"

"Oh yes, girly. I'd take a warm body over a cold one any day." He then tore open the front of her shirt, "Don't scream or I'll snap your neck."

"Don't do this!" she cried.

"I said no screaming…" He tore a thick piece of her shirt away and brought it up to her hands to bind them together. Afterwards he ripped another piece of fabric and double knotted it around her mouth. "That should do it."

Eve kicked at him, but she couldn't land a blow. His weight pushed her hips into the cushioned floor. All of her screams were muffled and she tried writhing and struggling trying to buck him off.

Joker, clearly pissed off, grasped her face between his palms and pulled her into a sitting up position. She couldn't see him very well but the small amount of light illuminated his silhouette. Only a few inches lay between their faces.

There was nothing to stop the clown from having his way with her.

"Nobody can hear you scream girly…" he said calmly and gently squeezed her cheeks, "Just try to relax and enjoy the ride." He whispered words into her ear and nuzzled at her neck.

Eve started to cry. If she didn't cooperate with him, he might strangle her to death or break her neck. She could feel his lips tickling at her throat and her response was to squirm and vigorously shake her head 'no'. That tongue of his began traveling down to her collarbone.

"Mmph!" she muttered against the gag and she squeezed her eyes shut. It was only moments before he would set his lips on her chest when both of them heard somebody outside of the cell. There was a jingling of keys and the cell door squeaked open.

Joker got up and backed away from the hysterical girl and she fell backwards with relief. Her shirt was torn open for the world to see. An orderly making the nightly rounds had heard whimpering and decided to check Eve's cell. A flashlight shone inside and on Joker first. The crazed clown was standing in the corner with a wide grin on his face.

"Greetings dear flunky!" Joker said happily.

"What're you doing in here? This isn't your cell." The orderly stepped inside, light still concentrating on Joker and took out a radio and transmitter from one of his pockets.

Joker chuckled. "Ooh…calling in the big boys?" he teased.

The orderly approached cautiously, "Just take it ea-" he started but didn't finish the sentence when his foot connected with something on the floor. He shined his flashlight down and saw the tied up Eve. Her hands were bound and she was gagged. Her shirt was shredded in the front, exposing her bare chest. The poor girl was absolutely terrified and humiliated. The orderly brought the light back up on the Joker, who was still grinning maliciously.

The orderly sneered at the clown, "You stay put." He then radioed for help and three more guards rushed to the cell. Two of them tackled Joker, securing his arms and dragging him out of the cell. Eve was given a blanket and untied. One of the remaining guards scooped her up and carried her out. He took her to Dr. Strange's office.

* * *

"I don't need an exam, I told you already he didn't rape me!" Eve screamed at the guards, "Now can I go?"

"Sorry missy, Dr. Strange's orders. You are under supervision for the rest of the night." one guard said.

"This is a bunch of bullshit…can't you just put Joker in solitary confinement or something?" Eve crossed her arms in annoyance. She was under heavy guard and hated every moment of it. "Can one of you guys get me a pillow?"

They ignored her request and continued talking amongst themselves. Eve sighed and slumped down into her chair, pulling the blanket around her tightly. For two long hours she listened as the guards bickered back and forth about their 'shitty job' in the asylum. Eve rolled her eyes at the mention of asylum women making the job worth their while. Of course they were speaking of women like Ivy. It was a boring conversation and Eve was passing out in her chair.

What seemed like only a few moments…she was violently shaken awake.

"What the fuck? Am I just not allowed to sleep tonight?" She glared at the man standing in front of her…Dr. Strange. "What do you want?" She looked around; the orderlies were gone.

Dr, Strange took one of her hands, "Please come with me."

"Where are we going?" she asked and allowed the doctor to escort her.

"To Arkham's hospital wing."

Eve sighed, "I already told you guys, I don't need-"

"The Joker has been hospitalized again," he interrupted.

"And I should care because?"

"Unfortunately Joker is showing similar signs of illness as he did when we picked him up weeks ago."

Eve sneered, "Good, he deserves to suffer." She continued down the halls with Strange until they reached the hospital ward. Eve slipped her hand from his grasp as he opened the steel door for her. She moved inside only to find two guards waiting for her.

"What is this?" she asked and backed away from the two men. The guards grabbed her arms and lifted her off her feet. They carried her to the back of the facility where a private room was kept. A bed with restraints sat in the middle of the room and the guards stretched her out over the bed while Strange did the honors of strapping down each of her limbs and a large belt lay across her torso. Her blanket barely stayed up in the process.

"Fuck all you people!" she yelled and tried to yank off the restraints, but it was pointless.

Strange touched the struggling woman's forehead, "Please take it easy, Miss Eve. We don't want you injuring yourself."

"Why do you care?" she snapped at him.

"I care because I am a doctor and you are a very valuable patient my dear."

"I'm not gonna be your science experiment!"

"Who said you were an experiment?"

"Well…no one…" she admitted.

Strange cracked a smile and turned towards the orderlies, "Bring him in."

Eve's eyes shot towards the door, "Bring who in?"

The steel door shot open and a table with someone on it was wheeled in, someone with bright green hair and pasty white skin.

"No!" Eve tore away at her restraints, "Are you guys crazy! He's going to get loose and kill me!"

Strange explained," Don't worry Miss Eve…he is restrained as well and unconscious."

She glanced to her left. Strange was right, Joker was out cold. Blood was literally seeping from his mouth. "But-"

"Joker had a relapse of the illness as I explained earlier. I am under the impression that he will need the same treatment as before, young lady. That's why you're here," Strange said.

"And you think I'm just going to allow you to poke and prod at me?" she replied angrily.

"You aren't being given a choice. You are the only person who carries the anti-venom until we discover a cure from Ivy's experiments with the moss."

Eve's brow furrowed, "So go bug Ivy for the cure. She probably carries the anti-venom in her blood too."

"Ivy won't talk and her body doesn't need an anti-venom to protect itself from plant toxins. She never administered the toxin into her system because she would only absorb it. We've already tested her. There are no other options," Strange said and he bent down over Eve, "Try to remain calm so we can withdraw from you."

* * *

The following morning…

Eve jolted awake as she came back from the land of the dead…she had dreamed about zombies invading the asylum and woke up in a cold sweat. After calming herself down she realized she was still strapped down to the bed in the hospital wing. She glanced to her left and tried to sit up in shock.

Those moronic doctors left the Joker in there with her! What was even worse…they were alone together!

She couldn't move very much and decided to bite down on the nearest restraint. She wasn't paying attention to anything else.

"You'll break your teeth girly…"

Eve let go of the strap she was chewing on and her eyes shot over across the room. Joker was wide-awake and staring at her, a neutral expression across his face. He was still tied down to his bed as well. Emotions flowed through her…she didn't know if she should be angry or… "Don't even try playing with me Joker. What you tried to do last night was the last straw for me!"

"Oh ho! What're you gonna do all tied down like that…tough girl!" he laughed.

"I know your sick Joker," she said.

"Girly, people have been telling me that all my life!"

Her eyes drifting towards the ceiling and she smiled, "That's not I meant and you know it."

Joker's smile faded.

Eve turned her gaze towards him once again, "You're really pissed off inside because you know you can't kill me. I'm certain Dr. Strange told you what's going on. However, keep in mind…I can still kill _you_."

She knew she struck a nerve when he didn't respond with anything other than a growl.

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 9

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 9: They know…

There was a large black bruise on the inside of her arm. Those fucking doctors took so much blood that she was very lightheaded. Eve suffered through three withdrawals today and took more than the recommended pint known for donating…it felt more like a liter! So anytime a guard, nurse or doctor came near her, she snapped at them and threatened to bite them if they took more.

She wanted to rub the discolored skin so badly but it would probably make the bruising worse. Plus she was still tied down to her bed…and unfortunately listening to Joker cackling and mumbling to himself. She stare up at the ceiling and began counting the tiles out of boredom.

Joker had slowly recovered from the previous day's events. It wasn't as bad as the first wave of sickness had been. He was thinking about how he was going to get out of this mess. He couldn't kill the girl and she flaunted that fact. It pissed him off to high hell.

"_I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for her!" _he said to himself._ "Well I suppose it is partially my fault…but if she had died when she was supposed to! Fuck! How the hell am I going to get out of this?" _He glanced over to his right. The girl was staring at the ceiling, looking dazed. She did give quite a bit of blood last night. Still, he couldn't help but feel happy that she was as miserable as he was.

Eve wanted to roll over onto her side so badly; she knew the nut job was staring at her. There was no way she could take him out on her own except to deprive him of what he needed most. Being stuck in Arkham was a problem because the doctors would be withdrawing from her almost monthly for Joker's meds. Still, she needed to try.

Two hours later three orderlies released both of them from their beds. Eve promised to behave so she wouldn't have anyone restraining her on the way back to her cell. She was untied first and as the orderlies went to unbuckle the Joker, she wandered over to the door to wait. She would continue this act until she could figure out something.

* * *

The inmates were allowed into the recreational room for the next four hours. Eve continued her cover of the 'good girl' so she could get a little freedom. Her arm had been bandaged before she was let out of her cell and she spent the first hour watching television. The loonies around her were spending their time playing card games, chess, and reading books. It was strange how ordinary these people seemed for being in an asylum…or so she thought.

She was minding her own business sitting there on the couch when someone else joined her. Briefly she glanced at the person seated beside her and she instantly leapt from the couch.

"Ivy…"

"Hello darling. How have you been?" Ivy asked casually.

Steamed, Eve said, "Not so good. I feel like a pin cushion these days."

Ivy smiled, "So I've heard. Well then I should tell you that I'm being interrogated daily for a cure."

"I know that. Anyways, Joker won't kill me while we're stuck in this predicament." Eve sat back down, "Why are you approaching me all of a sudden?"

"I just wanted to warn you."

"Warn me? Of what?"

Ivy lay back against the couch cushion and leaned her head back, "I just thought you'd like to know that word has gone around about your situation."

"So?"

"Nobody has ever been able to kill the Joker because of his unique fighting capabilities and gases. He always slipped through his enemy's fingers. Now you have been brought into the picture and everyone knows that you are the only thing keeping the Joker alive."

"Okay and?"

Ivy smiled, "If I were you, I'd be on the lookout."

Eve swallowed hard, "I never thought of that. I gotta kill the Joker before I'm taken out," she whispered. She thought for a moment, "What about you?"

"What about me? I have no interest in killing you."

"Good to know."

Ivy sat up and got off the couch, "Be on your guard deary, you're surrounded by lunatics." She then walked away and seated herself with some other women for a game of cards.

It was true; Eve was the only link keeping Joker alive. That means people would go after her to get at him! She looked at all the people in the rec room, they seemed harmless enough but Ivy was right, she can't trust anyone. She no longer felt safe and decided she wanted to leave free time early. She was taken back to her cell.

For some strange reason she was perfectly happy in the safety of her cell. Only one person has been able to sneak in so far, nobody else seemed to know about the hole Joker put in the ceiling…which also struck her as odd. There was a little bit of debris in the cell, why hasn't anyone come by to clean it up? The orderlies must be denser than she thought.

She curled up on the floor, her head against the cushiony wall. Of course…as if on queue, she heard someone climbing above her and then a thump as they dropped.

"Hello Joker," she said without enthusiasm. She didn't bother rolling over to look at him.

There was no response, no cackling, or bad joke…

Confused by Joker's silence, she turned over to look at the clown, "What? No puns? No insults? Something's wrong with you." She sat up, "You know you're going to get in trouble again if you keep this up."

The clown said nothing. Instead he stomped his way over to her and harshly grabbed her by the hair, yanking her face upwards so he could see her eyes. "Don't push your luck girly. As soon as a cure is found, I'm going to finish the job." He pulled on her hair so hard that her hands flew up to grab at his wrist.

"Stop!" she begged, "Ow!"

He let go of her hair and she fell back to the floor, grimacing from pain.

"Girly, let's get one thing straight. For the time being, you will do as I say."

"Oh right, like I'm going to take orders from a scumbag like you!" she shouted at him.

"Listen albino runt!" he screeched back at her, "You aren't in a much safer predicament than I am! If you die, I die and I'm not about to let that happen to me!" He dropped to his knees next to her and grabbed her by the shirt, pulling her up, "If you want to last long, you do as I tell you to."

* * *

To be outside was a nice change. Eve had settled herself in the gardens. She half expected Ivy to be hanging around and she could use some company…

Eve stared at the little white bell flowers obviously grow by Ivy and she gently touched one. It was soft on her fingertips and she was tempted to pick one but her red headed friend would probably kill her for it. She had thought about what Joker said…perhaps she should have planned ahead for this.

The guards had called all of the inmates indoors and Eve left the garden to go back inside. She stepped in line with the other prisoners, at the very end and climbed the staircase that led indoors. However she was stopped when she reached the top by the single guard. She tried to go around him but he stopped her.

"Miss Eve, come with me please, Dr. Strange wants a word with you."

She rolled her eyes, "We've already had a session this morning."

"Don't argue," he said, "Now come."

Eve followed the brunette guard inside and to the offices of the asylum. Dr. Strange would probably be there already. But what could he want to talk about?

When they reached the office, the guard held the door open for her and she went inside. The room was empty…

"Where is Strange?" she asked.

The guard didn't say anything and stepped inside, followed by locking the door behind him.

In a panic she asked, "What are you doing?"

The guard turned around and sized her up, "You're the only one…"

"Um…what?" Eve put as much distance as she could between them, but the man was slowly walking around the desk and closing in on her.

"You're the only person who can kill the Joker," he said.

"I assure you sir, anyone could kill the Joker if they can get close enough."

The guard was only a few feet away from her "Nobody has ever been able to do it. Now an opportunity has been set before me to get rid of the Joker once ad for all."

She shook her head in disbelief, "You stay back…"

The guard stepped forward, dismissing her statement. Eve then made a mad rush for the door, but she felt a foot catch her at the ankle and she fell to the floor. Seconds afterwards an immense weight sat upon her, pinning her. A set of strong hands wrapped around her throat and began to squeeze tightly.

"Guh!...!!" she squealed, the pressure of the guards fingers cut off her air supply.

"I'm sorry my dear, but killing you would save us a whole lot of trouble," he said. His voice was completely calm as if killing her was no big deal! He pressed her skin harder and she gasped, trying to pull in large gulps of air. She kicked her feet and tried to pry off his fingers.

Her head was beginning to feel light and her eyes were losing their focus. Her hands were loosening and she stopped kicking altogether.

The guard kept squeezing, making sure to finish he job. He still held her as her arms fell away and the paleness of her skin became clammy. She stopped struggling and her chest didn't rise. She was well on her way to death's door. Her lips were turning a shade of purple…

He didn't get up right away; wanting to make sure she died. As he was growing satisfied with his work, there was a loud bang on the office door, followed by a crash. A foot had taken out the hinges out and the door came crashing down.

The guard saw that it was the insane clown himself and he panicked, "How did you get out of your cell?"

Joker's wandered to the guard and then to the floor where Eve still lay beneath the man. Her body was lifeless; eyes closed and hands sprawled out to her sides. Her hair was flayed about the linoleum. In a flash Joker leapt at the guard, taking him backwards. Joker returned the guard's favor by sitting on him; both hands encircling his throat. In absolute rage, Joker said, "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

The guard sputtered, "Huh?"

"You're about to find out…" Joker said cruelly and he jerked his hands harshly.

There was loud snap and the guard lay on the floor, unmoving.

The clown released the guard's neck and he rolled off the corpse, quickly crawling over to Eve's body. Two of his fingers raced for a spot on her neck and he searched for signs of life. There was a pulse, but it was very weak and she wasn't breathing.

"You idiot!" Joker said angrily, "I told you to be wary of anyone!" He tapped her face, "May this be a lesson to you girly…" He adjusted her head, pushing her chin back, opening up her lips and the airway. He brought his head down to her face, covering her mouth with his and he filled her lungs with a deep breath. Her chest rose with the newly claimed air supply. He sent another puff of air and he backed off to quickly place his hands on her chest. He started compressions, counting to ten and he repeated the process. At first he didn't think it was going to work. After a minute or two, she started gasping and coughing as her lungs took in too much air all at once.

She was very weak from the ordeal and Joker didn't want to leave her alone in case the guard had an accomplice. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the office.

It was only moments before orderlies surrounded the two of them. Eve was only half awake and didn't realize where she was. She was ripped from the Joker's arms and carried away while he was tackled to the floor and restrained in a straight jacket.

* * *

That night…

Dr. Strange felt that Eve was okay enough to be released from the hospital wing and back into her cell. She wasn't alone though. Joker managed to escape his straight jacket…again, and he snuck back down into Eve's cell. In her weakened state, Eve just didn't feel like arguing. She let the clown settle himself in the darkest corner of the room.

He didn't take his eyes off of her. She was still plotting to take him out…

They sat kitty corner from each other. Joker had an enormous grin plastered across his face.

"So girly…what was it like having one foot in the grave?"

"How would I know? I don't remember it happening," she said softly. Her eyes felt heavy; she was tired and desperate for sleep but he insisted on keeping her awake.

"Did your life pass before your eyes?" he said and chuckled briefly.

She shot him an annoyed look, "Will you stop?"

"Did you have any regrets?"

"Joker!"

He laughed and crawled across the floor towards her. "They say when your seconds away from death, you have visions of hell…"

That did it…

Eve flung herself forward and slapped him hard across the face.

Stunned with disbelief and a stinging sensation in his cheek, Joker touched the reddened skin on his face. "Did you just bitch slap me?" he asked, sheer amusement in his voice. He rubbed the sore spot and let his hand fall away, balling it up into a fist. He then swung it at her; striking her in the same place she hit him moments ago. She flew back, her head striking the cushioned wall.

"That's my version of the bitch slap babe," he said carelessly, "Oh and you're lucky those walls are padded otherwise you probably would be in a coma." He quickly crawled on top of her, his waist lay against her lower belly; keeping her legs separated.

She didn't try to push him off. She was much too busy fussing with her swollen cheek.

"You're really a glutton for punishment. Do you enjoy pain?" he asked.

"No…I don't enjoy pain!" she said.

"I do!" he said cheerfully, "I enjoy inflicting it on others!"

"I'll bet that's all your capable of! It's all you know!" she shouted.

"No…that's not all," he said calmly, "I'm a raging lunatic and I'm quite capable of being a nice guy when I want to."

"I find that hard to believe," she replied, "Lunatic and nice guy don't go together very well." She began pushing against his chest, "Now will you please get off?"

Joker thought for a moment, "Nah, I don't think I will, I'm happy here…it's nice and warm."

She grit her teeth, ignoring the ache in her face, "You're not a nice guy, you're a pig."

"Sticks and stones babe."

She jerked herself to try and get him off but he moved with her, keeping her on her back, "Joker, I really don't-

"Hush now sweetness," he said, "I'm going to show you how much of a nice guy I can be."

Her eyes widened, "No…"

"Yes," he said and he lowered his face to her neck to leave a tiny kiss on her throat.

"Joker…" she started, a surge of adrenaline pumped its way through her nervous system. She wanted to escape from him.

"I love it when you same my name with fear…" he purred into her ear and he began nuzzling her face.

Eve brought her hands up to his shoulders to push him away but he captured her hands and pushed them to her sides. At this point her body was beginning to betray her. She could scream for help and someone would come, but she could not find her voice. A part of her wanted this and the other half of her conscience told her she would regret it.

"I'm glad you stopped struggling," he whispered, "I'll show you my tender side if you promise to behave." He gave out a lighthearted chuckle.

There was a tiny fire beginning to grow in her belly. Instead of his normal shrill and scratchy voice, his vocals sounded more velvety and fluid to her ears, adding to the eroticism. This wasn't like the first time in the compound. He sounded sincere…she worried that he may be 'joking' with her. Could he be?

"Relax," he said, "You're so tense!"

Of course, he should be telling himself to relax. He wanted so badly to rip off all of her clothes and sheath himself inside her to get rid of the desire. He despised feeling so overwhelmed by emotions but he was doing this for good reason. If he was able to make her become infatuated with him, then he could get one step closer to finding a cure and she would probably want to spend more time with him. In that case, he could also keep a closer eye on her to avoid another situation like this morning.

He dipped his face into her neck; his tongue slid out of his mouth and lapped at the soft flesh. This time he fully intended to take it slow…

* * *

To be continued…

M rating next chapter…


	11. Chapter 10

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 10: Mine

It was going exactly as he planned. Eve was not resisting his advances; in fact, she was embracing them. Poor girl…she must have been deprived most of her life. Joker cracked a smile. A girl at her age should have seen much more action, what was she? Almost twenty-eight?

Eve was wriggling from beneath him and he had to let go of her arms to grip her waist, "Geez girly, you're all fidgety. The last time we did this, you weren't all up in arms about it." He steadied her.

Her arms flew up to his shoulders and pulled him forward so her lips could meet his. At this point she didn't care who he was. It was just one woman and one man.

Joker had to catch himself; she almost pulled him over. "A little…excited?" he asked between kisses.

She said nothing and continued her kisses along his lower lip.

Joker's hands wandering down her hips and traced along to the front of her cotton asylum issued pants. His fingers grazed the inside of her thigh and he dragged them back up towards the waistband. She, on the other hand, was fussing with the buckles along his shirt, undoing them on at a time. His standard purple and tan straight jacket opened up, revealing his pale chest. He sat back, letting the shirt slide down his arms and he tossed it aside before leaning over her again for more. Those hands of hers were roaming all over his back gently scratching and massaging at the skin.

While she was preoccupied, he unzipped the front of her shirt and found…nothing. She wasn't wearing a bra. It was too easy for him and he dipped his head lower down her chest to nip at the underside of her right breast. Her fingers tangled in his hair and her legs separated to allow him to lie against her core.

Her feminine heat was rising through the cloth of her pants and his body was drinking it up. His groin was tingling and he desperately wanted freedom from the restrictive clothes. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he tasted the saltiness of her skin, lapping around the nipple and then finally pulling the taught little bud into his mouth. He teased the sensitive skin and sucked until a red mark was left behind before moving to the other fleshy mound to leave another. He was about to undo his pants but Eve stopped his hand and she leaned forward. His mouth fell away from her breast and he sat up with curiosity.

With one hand she pushed him back so he was now lying on his back. She then crawled to his side; her hands ran up his pant leg, reaching for the button that held them up. She made quick work of it and tugged down the zipper. His massive erection sprung into view and she leaned in…

In a panic, Joker reached into his pants pocket and ripped out a knife. Eve shot up and backed away, "How did you get that in here?"

"I have my ways girly…and I still don't trust you. If you bite me, I'll sink this blade into your neck."

"That's an empty threat…"

"I won't hesitate. I'd rather be dead than live my life as a eunuch," he said angrily.

"I don't plan to bite…it would spoil the moment," she assured him.

He lowered the blade and allowed her access, however the knife stayed in his hand. Eve returned to her position above him and she touched his hardened length; her hand stroking the throbbing body part. After a few minutes of jerking him off by hand she lay on the floor so her face was eye level with his groin and she flicked her tongue out on him. His shaft was swollen and he seemed to like what she was doing, so she slipped her mouth down the length and started a slow pace, moving up and down. Joker placed one of his hands on the back of her neck, guiding her movements. That tongue of hers was swirling around him, making his inner beast want to throw her down and take her now.

Eve released him and crawled on top.

"Oh no you don't babe…" Joker said and he quickly flipped her so he was now on top. Without warning, he threw the knife aside and yanked the waistband of her pants and pulled them down her legs. He pushed her limbs apart and dove for her center, quickly inserting two fingers into the moistened folds.

"Ah!" she cried from the swiftness of his hands. Her own hands flew up to her chest and she squeezed her breasts with vigor.

Joker could feel the velvety walls constricting around his digits as he pumped them in and out of her. She was soaked. He never really got a good look at her the first time, but he had a great view now. Her fluids slid out of her body, down his fingers, and absorbed into his fingerless gloves. "Damn…" he whispered so she couldn't hear. He was impressed at how well he could turn on a girl and he grinned,_ "Let's see how far I can push you…" _He leaned into her and let his tongue dip into her core.

She gasped and her body jerked. Joker had to grab onto her hips to keep her still as he let loose on her, but she was squirming so much… Juices were flowing and he swallowed a decent amount; most dribbled down his chin. Her skin was turning a pale rose color from his ministrations. It was getting to the point where she couldn't take it anymore, "J…oker…please…"

Joker lifted his head a little to look at her; his tongue never stopped teasing her and he grunted, "Mmm…" and shook his head.

"If…y-you…keep this up…I'm not going to last…" she said breathlessly.

"_Good…good…I'll have you in the palm of my hand in no time at this rate," _he thought and he continued sucking on her delicate pearl.

Tiny signals reverberated through her lower body like an electric current. Heat flowed down to her heels and her lower body began to vibrate. She was so close…

Then...he stopped…

With severe disappointment, Eve glared at him, "Why'd you stop?"

"Because…"

"Because?" she repeated.

"Do I need a reason?" He sat up to rest on his haunches, "I love torturing you, that's all." He wiped away the excess moisture on his face.

Her eyes wandered down to his groin, he was stroking himself to remain hard, "Are you planning on finishing off yourself?"

In the back of Joker's mind, he knew doing this would drive her crazy and she would have to beg him for it. "I might…" he replied and he relaxed himself against a wall to jerk himself.

Just watching him masturbate was making her want him more. How dare he just leave her hanging! She exhaled deeply; her pride was getting the way. She didn't want to ask him to finish with her…it was humiliating enough that he randomly stopped for no reason. But he was just sitting there, stroking and staring at her, like he was expecting her to do something.

"I know you're angry girly…tell Mr. J all about it…" he taunted.

"You piss me off!"

"I excel at that." He chuckled. His hand was moving along his length at a faster pace and his breathing was increasing.

Eve was getting frustrated. He was getting to her and she didn't want to be left without an orgasm…there was no way she would stoop to masturbate in front of him.

"You look a little uncomfortable…" he said between breaths. She was dancing in the palm of his hand. He could see redness spreading along her cheeks. She was still sitting in front of him, spread-eagle. "Why don't you finish yourself off?" It was working…soon enough she would be his to control.

Her lower body was screaming to be touched…to be fucked senseless. "No…"

Joker smiled…here it comes!

"I refuse to do that in front of you!" she shouted.

"Quiet down girly, the flunkies will hear you. Now then…why won't you finish in front of me? You scared?"

"That's not it at all…"

He laughed, "Oh I see. You're too proud." He noticed she was staring at his moving hand. "You want me girly…I can see it. But I'm not gonna let you have it."

Without thinking before she spoke, "Why not?" and her hands flew to cover her mouth while Joker burst out in a fit of giggles.

"Ha! See I told you!" he said.

Eve sat herself up and turned around, her back now facing him.

"Oh come on now babe…" he teased and waited for her response.

She sat there for a moment, her anger boiling up, "I hate you…I hate you so much…" she said just barely enough for him to hear.

"A love-hate relationship…" Joker said and he scratched his chin thoughtfully. He slowed down the pace on his length, preventing himself from peaking. "I can live with that. So…what will you do?"

She stared at the thick cushions lining the wall. She was so worked up from earlier and it was killing her.

"What will you do…Eve?" he repeated seductively.

A single tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away before turning back around…she knew she would regret this. She crawled across the floor and seated herself before him.

He craned his head to the side a bit, "You have something to say girly?"

Of course nothing came out of her mouth and she leaned in to plant a kiss on his lips but he pulled away.

"No, no girly. Say it."

She mumbled something under her breath.

"What was that babe? I can't hear you." He brought a hand up to his ear, pretending to be deaf and he grinned.

She released all of her frustrations at him, "I want to be fucked silly!"

"Ha! Now you're talkin!" he exclaimed and he grabbed her up by the hips. He leaned back against the wall, bringing her with him and he sat her down on his lap. His erection rubbed against her warm center and he could already feel her wetness seeping down his length.

She reached her arms around his shoulders and lifted herself up slightly while he straightened himself, ready to penetrate. They were lined with each other and she lowered herself down around him, his girth filled her up like before. Her mouth fell open as his engorged appendage stretched her insides to the limit. Joker plowed his face into her chest, licking and sucking at her breasts while she started rising and falling against his body.

He was becoming hot with desire and he released the nipple he was nursing on, "You're a good fuck girly…nice and tight." His hands rested on her thighs while she did majority of the work. Her back arched and her belly rubbed against his abdominals. The amount of friction between them was sending her to the deep end. The muscles surrounding her uterus contracted and her vaginal walls squeezed him. The rigid interior was also as soft as silk.

His orgasm was nearing and he pushed forward, putting her back to the cushioned flooring, which served as a sound barrier. There was no squeaking from springs to alert anyone outside the cell.

Eve threw her head back, exposing her neck and Joker lunged at the opportunity. He nibbled and kissed at the bare skin and even threw in a few bites as he began thrusting harder.

"Ah…" she muttered, trying so hard to say something but she could only manage a few mumbles.

After spending a decent amount of time on her neck, he looked up at her face…those colorless eyes were fixated on the ceiling. Her mouth was parted and her breaths were becoming more ragged. He smiled against her skin; barely able to hold back his joy…she was so close to climax…

The fiery desires welling up inside her were about to spin out of control, "Oh g…g…god…" she whispered. The flames licked at her insides and spiraled to her core to press on the tiny bead at the apex of her legs. She could feel Joker's hand wandering down between their bodies and it stopped just short of her aching clit.

"Prepare yourself sweet cheeks," he whispered into her ear and he stroked at her bundle of nerves with one finger.

The combination of his thrusts and finger was too much and an intense wave of pleasure sprang to life. She started moaning and crying out as the fluttering sensation built up to an explosion and her body went rigid as the orgasm hit its peak. "O…oh…fuck!" she spat out in a high pitch scream.

Content with the state of his sexual partner, Joker felt comfortable enough to let down his guard momentarily to release his own orgasm. He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed the overwhelming lust to take over. Relief finally came to him when he poured every drop into her. He let out a low growl as the orgasm passed.

The two of them lay in a heap for a few minutes until Joker pulled himself out of her body and onto his hands and knees. Eve wasn't moving. She was too tired from the ordeal. She remained on her back; white hair sprawled out around her in a tangled mess. He got to his feet and zipped up his pants; ignoring the wetness that covered his now softening length. His shirt lay a few feet away and he stepped over the girl to get it. The knife was impaled in a cushion and he pulled it out to replace in is pocket. He still had the advantage with the weapon in his possession.

Only a few moments passed after he dressed himself. The girl got up as well and searched the room for her clothes.

She was a little shaky from the romp but she was able to get back into her pants and top. Joker watched her every move. It was unknown to him if she had something planned.

Getting irritated with his eyes constantly following her, "Shouldn't you be getting back to your own cell? You had your fun…"

"It's a little hard to climb back up girly," he said and pointed at the hole in the ceiling.

"So you plan on getting caught in my cell again…" It wasn't a question.

"That's the idea." He grinned, "We'll see how long it takes the flunkies to find me missing again. The security here is so lax it's pathetic. High security prison, my ass."

It couldn't have been more than forty minutes since Joker snuck into her cell. Were the guards _that_ dense?

Eve settled down against a wall, her body desperate for sleep. She knew he wouldn't try anything since her blood was precious to him. If only she could get the damn blade away from him, she could end him now.

"I know what you're thinking girly…don't bother," he said and he joined her to relax for the rest of the night.

* * *

The following morning, as expected, Joker was taken by the guards after he was found missing for breakfast in his cell. This meant that Eve was yet again taken to the hospital wing…this time they found something…

The nurse who was treating her was a female this time.

"Eve, we found traces of semen in your body."

"Yeah no shit…" Eve retorted. She was angry to be tied down again.

The nurse replied sweetly, "I wish you would speak with a little more respect towards the people who are trying to help you dear."

"I'll pass. I'm stuck with you people for more than two decades…" She struggled against her bonds.

"I understand you are under a lot of pressure from Joker's advances and the blood work but you must trust us Eve," the nurse said. She held up a test tube filled with blood and another that had a clear liquid inside.

"What is that?" Eve asked with mild curiosity.

The nurse looked at her, "One is the standard tube from your blood work, the other is what I collected from you two hours ago.

A hint of red spread across Eve's cheeks as she glanced at the clear liquid filled tube. The nurse had done a female exam on her and took samples of fluids.

The nurse placed the tube into a test rack, "Eve please tell me...when you first poisoned the Joker, did you use an injection or something that was absorbed?"

"It was an absorbable toxin why?" Eve figured the truth wouldn't hurt.

"You had the last cure from Ivy's stash. I know it was an injection she gave you from the hidden box we found in her cell. But the toxin you used on Joker…you had to spread it all over your body and get on him somehow. Is that correct?"

Eve's eyes widened.

"I'll take that as a yes?" the nurse asked. "I assume you put the most toxin on your lower regions?"

Humiliation was setting in, "So what…"

The nurse smiled, "There was a high concentration of toxin in the sample I took this morning and we now know there may be a better way to make a cure rather than taking blood."

"What?"

Eve panicked. No! This couldn't be possible! If Joker found out that her natural lubrication was the key to his remedy…

"Miss Eve, I know you had sexual contact with Joker…twice. The first time was to inflict him with his illness, but I can't imagine why a second time. However, the more you allow him to sleep with you, the more he will become tolerant of the illness. It is now up to you to stay away from him so the staff and I can create an antidote from this single sample. We don't need him sneaking into your cell every night. You may also want to keep this conversation in confidence for your safety."

The remainder of the morning was spent in the hospital wing, undergoing tests. Only the female nurse knew about the second form of remedy and she promised to keep it a secret and work on it alone. Eve's job was to keep to herself; otherwise, Joker would have his way with her on a nightly basis to absorb the cure little by little.

There was only one thing she could think to get as far away from him as possible…escape the asylum…

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To be continued…


	12. Chapter 11

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 11: Scream for me… (warning- severely intense)

Dr. Strange had given permission to Eve to spend the day outside, with supervision of course. Oddly enough…they let Joker outside, knowing he would not leave the asylum under current circumstances. He kept within eyesight of Eve, watching her every move and the other inmates as well.

It was getting on Eve's nerves. Joker must think she couldn't take care of herself. Well maybe she should have spent more time at the police department learning self-defense rather than training with guns alone. She poked at the ground with a stick, drawing pictures in the loose soil. She had her lunch nearby; it consisted of a fresh strawberry and banana fruit bowl, a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, and a bottle of water. She barley touched the sandwich and only snacked on the fruit. Her water was already gone. She glanced around, there weren't any inmates close to her but she could see them all scattered across the grounds…some were staring at her and it made her uncomfortable. They knew.

She drew a circle and filled it in with a smiley face. It annoyingly reminded her of her main adversary and she quickly kicked at the image, erasing it from the dirt. He was still on the other side of the grounds watching her…geez it was like she was under a microscope! Joker was a mess these days. His usual cheerful self was silent and his weekly pranks on the orderlies had slowed down. Eve heard the doctors whispering amongst themselves that perhaps they shouldn't create that cure and maybe Joker would behave permanently. The past two months were very quiet.

Eve let go of the stick, letting it drop to the grass and she picked up her sandwich. She bit it and placed it back on the tray. It was all right…a tiny bit dry, but whatever. The asylum cook could take a lesson from Emeril.

Those damn inmates were still staring at her…

Joker was seated on the grass, his eyes fixated on the girl. Thoughts swirled around in his head about how he was going to get out of this one. Those fucking doctors were useless and taking their damn time on creating that cure! Were they just pussyfooting around in those labs? As soon as they made that antidote, the girl was dead...he hadn't changed his mind about that. She looked up at him briefly and he glared back at her. She turned her attention back towards the ground. What could she be thinking right now? He then saw another inmate approaching her and his adrenaline started to rise, preparing for anything.

Eve finished her sandwich and pushed aside her tray. A shadow cast itself over her and she looked up. It was another twisted criminal like the Joker, only this one told riddles, not jokes. "What do you want tall boy?" she asked rudely, "I'm not in the mood for chatter."

The tall and lanky man with pitch-black shoulder length hair smiled at her.

"What's with the creepy smile?" she asked, "Get away from me…"

From afar, Joker leapt to his feet and began stomping his way over to the pair. He gritted his teeth as he approached and he threatened the Riddler, "Get lost clown knockoff! Or how'd you like to be spayed the hard way?"

Riddler grinned, "So the rumors are true. Joker, for once you actually have a weakness," he said and turned away from the clown. He glanced over his shoulder, "A riddle for you miss, The maker makes it but doesn't use it…The buyer buys it but doesn't need it...The one who needs it never knows it...What is it?"

Eve didn't know the answer.

"You'll figure it out in time," Riddler said and he walked away.

Joker groaned in frustration and turned towards her, "You are seriously pathetic! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"What? What the hell was I supposed to do? Start a fight? I'll get put in solitary confinement!" Eve yelled back. "I'm a sitting target in that wing!"

"You have no concept of how to defend yourself do you?"

"I had some training with handguns, but-

"Guns? A two year old could fire a gun! I'm talking about hand-to-hand combat!"

She got to her feet, "It's not like that guy was trying to start a duel with me or anything! He just threw a riddle at me!"

"That was the Riddler you moron! While not as artistic and cruel like me, he's a game player and a murderer! He could snap you in half…which is not a bad idea after I get my cure."

Overcome with anger, Eve muttered in a low voice, "I don't need your advice. Get lost clown boy…" She moved towards the asylum without another word, leaving the Joker alone.

He stood there and watched as the girl allowed the orderlies to escort her back indoors. "You don't want my advice girly? You'll soon learn that I'm all you have. I may not be there the next time."

It took her more than two weeks to do it, but the barred window of her cell was almost finished. Eve had managed to pry one of the steel pieces away from the wall. One of the padded cushions was easily removed, exposing the black cement.

It wasn't the most original means of escape but the orderlies would never expect her to do this since it was too obvious. She was able to replace the steel piece and remove it whenever she worked on chipping away some of the cement. She needed to make sure the hole was big enough for her alone. Climbing down the asylum would be an issue and the swim across Gotham Bay? A nightmare.

Having had enough for the day, Eve put the steel back into place and propped the cushion back up. The orderlies would be retrieving her for dinner any minute.

For once, a decent meal that consisted of more than just turkey and veggies was served. Eve was surprised to find a selection of pasta, chicken, mixed fruit, salad, and individual slices of cheesecake. She looked at one of the orderlies, "What's up with this?"

The redheaded guard responded, "It was brought to Dr. Strange's attention that providing better meals to the inmates may lessen their escape attempts. The mayor increased the asylum's budget and now we're able to serve what you see here. He gestured to the food. "It also means a better recreational room. Two new television sets were added and more exercise equipment has been set up."

She nearly had a hernia, "You guys honestly believe adding better food and entertainment will prevent inmates from wanting their freedom? You must be the crazy ones." She allowed the orderly to scoop salad onto a plate for her and she grabbed a spoonful of pasta. A piece of cheesecake accompanied the plate and she picked a table. She was starving and it showed; her plate was cleaned in a matter of minutes. A full stomach sure felt good and she leaned back in her chair to relax. The other inmates around her were eating and chattering. She was completely relaxed…so tired…

Eve was nodding off, at least until she was violently shaken by someone, "Hey, wake up," they demanded.

She tried to shoo away their hands but they continued poking at her. Finally she grabbed the hands that were bugging her and she opened her eyes. "You! Can't you just leave me alone?" She jumped up from her chair to get away from clown boy, stumbling slightly.

Joker was not smiling…"Girly, we need to get out of here."

"No. I was content sitting in my chair," she said.

"That's what the problem is. There was something planted in your food. A sleeping draught I'll bet."

"The orderlies?"

"No. The orderlies are too stupid to play tricks like that," he said and he grabbed Eve by the arm, "Now move."

Groggily, Eve let Joker lead her to the cafeteria exit…what was stranger; no orderlies stopped them from leaving. Something was wrong.

"Will you stop tugging me so hard!" she protested.

"Shut up…"

This wasn't good; she couldn't leave with him! If he figured out the truth…

She wrenched her arm from his grasp and quickly ran in the opposite direction towards the hall. The cafeteria doors swung violently as she flew through them. It wasn't until she was halfway down the hall that her legs began to feel like jelly and she was tripping over her feet. She was drugged.

This was it; she needed to squeeze out of the hole in her cell. There was no waiting now. However, she needed to go to the hospital wing first and find something to reverse the drug's affects. She sped through hallway after hallway, not a single person bothered her. It was getting scary. The door to the hospital wing was only a few feet away and she stumbled into the large glass doors, shattering one of them and startling the nurse who was inside.

Eve groggily picked herself up off the floor and needed to grasp onto the nearest counter to stay balanced. She steadied herself and glanced at the nurse, it was the same woman who treated her the day before.

"Eve? What are you doing? Are you all right!" the nurse shouted and rushed to Eve's side, "You shouldn't be running through glass doors like that, now you're all cut up!"

Eve clasped onto the nurse's arms, "I need a counter-drug…"

"What? What do you…"

"I was drugged during meal time, just get me something!"

"That little bitch, how dare she run away from me again…" Joker thought as he rushed down the hall in the direction that Eve ran. She must have gone to the hospital wing. He passed by several overturned carts, she must have been really messed up from the drug.

Glass littered the floor where the hospital door used to be. He ignored the shards, walking right on them, small pieces dug into the soles of his feet.

Inside he found a nurse leaning over a gurney, her back towards him. Joker glanced over to the nearby counter; a spread of needles lay across a metal tray. He picked up a random syringe and quietly approached the nurse from behind. In a flash he grabbed her around the waist and yanked her body into his.

"Gah!" she cried and began tearing at the arm that held her, "What are you doing!"

Joker didn't say a word; instead he jammed the needle into the nurse's neck and injected the vaccine into her. She struggled briefly but the affects of the drug worked fast and she slipped down to the floor, still conscious, but her arms and legs were paralyzed. Her vision blurred.

Joker's attention fell on the gurney, as expected, Eve was lying on the table. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady. The nurse must have given her a counter drug and sedated her. There was a table to her left with a pile of papers on it and a folder. He shuffled the papers aside and picked up the blue folder. Eve's name was on it…

"Oooh confidential…" he smirked and opened the folder.

There were charts, graphs, medical records, test results...her entire life written on a stack of paper and he was entirely interested, however he didn't have much time before he would be caught.

He stuffed the folder into his shirt and scooped up Eve, bridal style. "So…girly, how about we go for a nice long walk," he chuckled and brought her towards the back of the ward. In dire situations, Joker made it a habit to keep secret tunnels available in every part of the asylum. He kicked aside a table and lay Eve down on the floor close to a grate in the wall. With a great deal of effort, Joker ripped the metal plating from the wall, revealing a large hole leading to a darkened tunnel. He grinned as he then dragged Eve across the floor and pushed her into the hole. It was fairly easy to slip her through. While she lay unconscious in the tunnel, Joker picked up the grate and filed into the hole. He resealed the opening as best he could. The debris on the other side would leave an obvious trail, but when has that ever stopped him?

Crouching along the tunnels, he dragged Eve towards the ground level. There were several occasions where he had to toss her across a gap where cement had collapsed and pipes were shattered. The asylum was crumbling and it appeared as if Gotham's city counsel purposely let the building rot. Finally, the two of them made it to the first floor and Joker kicked out a part of the asylum wall. The sunlight blinded him momentarily and he squinted as he peered out at the ocean. Holding Eve in his arms once again he mumbled, "So here we are once again Gotham."

Two days later...

Word traveled quickly on the news about the escape. Joker was always a priority for Gotham as he was the most sadistic. It also got out that the Orderlies and security of the asylum were under qualified. An uproar on the streets by the public called for the resignation of the entire staff and to bring in specially trained military personnel. All were growing tired of these mental cases escaping.

Because of the public outcry, Commissioner Gordon and the mayor were forced to send police units to the asylum and to sweep the streets of the city looking for Joker and Eve. Professor Strange was under investigation for fraud and inhumane therapy practices. All of the orderlies were arrested and replaced with military personnel until qualified individuals were selected to replace them. The patients had no means of escape as every nook and cranny was watched. Joker's tunnels were discovered and sealed off.

From his television set, Joker grinned as he watched the turmoil unfold. He piled a handful of popcorn into his mouth and munched to his heart's content. It was hilarious! The entire police force was searching for him and they did not have a clue as to his whereabouts. He burst out laughing and threw the popcorn bowl at the screen, causing it to shatter, "Ha ha! What a bunch of fucking morons! Do they really expect me to sit still in one place?" He leapt from his chair, throwing the remote on the floor and shoving his foot through the tv screen, breaking it. He laughed it up for a minute before regaining his composure. He'd been hiding out on the outskirts of Gotham, far away from his normal stronghold. Punch and Judy unfortunately were still in prison, unable to escape. He didn't worry too much about them. They were just goons after all...completely expendable. Joker wandered through the aging building. It was once a busy hotel and has seen better days. The walls were peeling and floors were a bit rickety, but it felt relatively safe to him. However someone still owned it and may have been trying to refurbish the place so he had to be careful. It had minimal electricity and running water.

With another chuckle, Joker found the old sitting room and a table strewn with paperwork awaited him. It belonged to Eve. Well technically it belonged to the asylum's personal files but what did he care? He sat down at the table and picked up one of the charts to study. Being an expert with chemistry, he was able to read them easily, "Child's play," he muttered. He saw that the toxin he was poisoned with had an assortment of very rare plants, some that may have been bred by Poison Ivy herself. There was a plant he recognized. It was called the Western Water Hemlock.

"Hm...most violently toxic plant that grows in North America. Causes seizures, violent muscle spasms, unconsciousness, and death," he read aloud. So that plant must be the reason he had those harrowing stomach pains. His abdomen was contracting to its own accord. He'd blacked out several times as well. Joker read on, "Oleander. The most poisonous plant in the world." He got the feeling that Ivy bred those plants together and created a whole new species. "Damn her," he groaned, "She would use the worst of the worst." He dropped the paper back on the table and fetched another. This document listed the many conversations Eve had with nurses and doctors. He laughed when he read about Eve's violent tendencies of punching and biting the orderlies. "Didn't know ya had it in ya girly."

The very last page of the folder held the medical records and test results. He skimmed through the latest information until his attention was captured by the final paragraph. He had to read through it twice to grasp it...

"HA HA HA! Un-fucking-believable!" he cackled and reread parts of the paragraph, "Ha ha! Increased levels of plant toxin found in lubrication! What a riot! This whole time! Ha ha! Now I can get my kicks and enjoy every second of it!"

He then calmed himself and placed the paper back down. He shuffled all the documents back into the folder and left it on the table. With a grin gracing his lips and his hands folded together behind his back, he left the sitting room and approached the main staircase. He ascended to the second floor, casually humming and chuckling.

A door awaited him at the end of the east wing and he pushed it open gently and peered inside. Eve lay upon an old mattress, unconscious. A result of the drugs she ingested and the nurses medications. She may be out for days. Joker approached the side of the bed and peered at Eve's peaceful face.

"So girly, you lay here completely vulnerable. How sad. But Joker will keep you company!" he said happily and touched her collarbone. He dragged his finger across her throat and brought it up over her chin. Then he clamped his hand around her cheeks and tipped her head to the right. Not a sign of consciousness. Still, she could be so much fun in this state...

He picked up her limp body and carried her to the run down bathroom across the hall. He filled up the tub with cold water. Unfortunately that was all there was. He stripped her down. While he did so, he went ahead and touched her inappropriately. To him it was all a game.

Two days earlier, Joker knew he would be in hiding for an extended period so he made sure to break into a local market after dark and steal as many supplies as he could, including some for the girl. He also made another pit stop to a local hospital for other necessities...

He rummaged through some of the bags on the floor, finding soap, shampoo, and a few other things. Eve was motionless; her head relaxed against the porcelain. Her skin was covered in goose bumps but Joker paid it no mind. With a big smile, he adjusted her body so he could dip her hair into the water. At first he found it very difficult to maneuver her until he decided it would be easiest to just hop in with her. The cold water totally killed his mood but he would remedy that later. He laid against the back of the tub, her head resting on his pure white chest and he washed her hair thoroughly, maneuvering his fingers through every strand. Following that he scrubbed her down from head to toe as best he could. He even went as far as shaving her legs and every other part a woman would typically cover. He was rugged, a criminal, a murderer...yet an artist with very steady hands. Not a single cut on her flesh. He wanted her to be a perfect work of art.

"This is as far as my generosity goes girly," Joker stated blandly as he poured water down her chest. He couldn't help but stare at her body; his hands roamed slowly down to the soft white mounds on her chest. With no resistance, he could do as he pleased. He squeezed and massaged her breasts, rekindling the fire in his belly. Only that fire seemed to grow a bit intense for his liking. He let go of her body and slipped a hand between them to rub the soreness of his stomach. He must be encountering another attack and this time there would be no doctors to assist him. Quickly, he grasped Eve and lifted her out of the tub. Not bothering to dry either of them off, Joker rushed her back into her room and dropped her on the mattress. He had to figure out something before he was in severe pain and there was no telling how long it take to set in.

He paced around the bed for a moment before noticing a tiny bit of movement from her. His eyes averted to her face. She blinked but that was all she was able to do.

"Awake?" Joker asked. She didn't respond to him, "C'mon girly, tell Mr. J..."

Nothing.

"Hm. Not responding but you're able to blink. That nurse must have drugged you up real good." He lifted one of her hands and let it go only for it to plop back down on the mattress. Her eyes moved slightly to the left, trying so desperately to follow him. "I knew it! You're aware but you cannot move. Never heard of a drug that can do that. Bet it was a combination of sorts!" he laughed, "So...girly my symptoms are returning. What do you think I should do?" he asked teasingly. He chuckled as he saw her pupils twitch back and forth in a panic and he sat down on the now sopping wet bed. Her skin was still glistening from the bath water and he felt the sudden urge to...

Oh yes she was very much awake. Eve was screaming although she couldn't move her mouth. She wanted to fight this psychopath off and run away. In doing so, she would be able to accomplish her goal of killing him but in her current situation, she was under his mercy...or lack thereof. All she could do was stare up at the ceiling. Then she felt it...

A cold palm settled on her lower belly and she felt the mattress sink down by her legs. Then another hand pushed aside her right thigh and bent the entire leg upright. It was now that Eve realized what Joker planned to do. She could feel his shoulder propping itself under her thigh and pushing her leg towards her chest. Finally, his hands readjusted to gripping around her thighs tightly and his nails dug into her flesh and then it happened...

She tried her hardest to squirm away from him as his agile tongue plowed into her dry cavern. The most she could manage was to close her eyes as Joker had his way with her unresponsive body. He sucked along her folds, taking each soft flap between his lips and nibbling on them.

His eyes wandered up to see the expression on her face, but his angle wasn't very good so he only saw the bottom of her chin and her throat and returned his gaze on her core. Eve was still dry but that would change soon enough and he continued torturing her. His tongue trailed up and down her slit, occasionally dipping into her maiden passage. Her thighs were so soft beneath his fingertips. His hands moved upwards until they settled on her pubic bone. One hand pulled back the flesh of her pussy and the other tickled her abdomen. It was starting to work and he finally tasted a minuscule amount of her vaginal secretions. Joker pushed even harder, wanting her to spill it all. He momentarily brought his face up, "Well, well...seems you are enjoying this and your getting back some muscle control. How about picking up some steam girly?"

Eve breathed heavily, she couldn't control much of her body and was ashamed of herself. She knew she was blushing and so did he. A tiny groan escaped her and he chuckled against her skin. Tears welled up and trickled down the tops of her cheeks.

Then Joker knew he had her. Her core was boiling hot and fluids were seeping out much to his delight. He ran his tongue along her inner walls, gathering as much of her juices as he could and ingested every last drop.

She wanted to wriggle away from him and slap him upside the head. His tormenting was getting to be too much and she was in full blown tears. Her belly was on fire and she squeaked with every scrape of his tongue.

Having drank nearly every trace of her feminine juices, Joker grinned and focused his affections on her clitoris. The moment his tongue connected with it, she sucked in an enormous amount of air and released it with a heavy sigh. She sniffled and gasped, berating her body for betraying her. Just when she thought he was nearly done with her, she felt the insertion of two fingers being jammed into her harshly and thrusting back and forth.

"I'm going to make you suffer the ultimate humiliation," Joker said cruelly and he brought his entire mouth down on her sensitive bead while his hand continued jerking in and out of her. He picked up the pace, excited that the burning in his stomach was lessening.

Eve grunted, trying to hard to move her legs. They were like heavy rocks, however her torso jerked slightly but not quite enough to evade Joker's ministrations. She could feel her heart pounding almost out of her chest and noticed that a strong sensation was building up in her groin. It was different from the previous 'acts' they shared together. This one seemed to pool at the roof of her canal...

It was obvious to her now that Joker was working on finding what was called the 'g-spot'. His two fingers rubbed harshly against her and eventually she felt him move out from under her legs. He crawled up the mattress, leaving his middle and ring finger inside her. She was able to see his face. His chin and throat glistened with her essence and she saw the slightest hint of a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Feels ripply. Not exactly what I was expecting," he commented and looked her directly in the eye. Her eyes were puffy and half closed from a combination of crying and feeling aroused. "Awe...don't be sad girly, the fun's just beginning!" Joker said with great delight and once again sped up those fingers and watched her reaction. Her eyes opened up a little bit more from shock.

Joker was right on target; his fingers curling against the roof of her vagina in a sort of 'come hither' motion. He brought his head closer to hers and started whispering explicit passages into her ear. She despised him for it; yet aided him in making her more susceptible to his advances.

Eve's body was overwhelmed by pleasure; her groin on fire and her chest was rising and falling so fast.

Joker could hear her deepening breaths and grinned; knowing her to be very close. In a final effort, he pressed his thumb against her ailing clitoris and saw her eyes roll into the back of her head. Her chest stopped moving as an orgasm ravaged her but nothing shamed her more than what would happen next...

A large gush of fluid sprang forth from her vagina, soaking his fingers and leaving a large stain on the mattress.

Joker nearly rolled off the bed in a fit of laughter, "Oh wow girly! That was magnificent! I'd seen the whores in movies do that on occasion but I never expected to see it in person! Ha ha!"

A stream of tears poured down her face from utter humiliation. She'd never accomplished a female ejaculation before and quite frankly she felt dirty about it. She closed her eyes, doing all that she could to block out the psychopath's taunts. It lasted for only a few seconds when she felt him climb over her, his entire being pressing on her and he quickly forced open her eyes by pushing his thumbs against her lids. His fully erect penis rested against her hip, wanting attention.

"Look at me," he demanded.

She diverted her eyes towards the left.

"I said look at me! Or I'll strangle you right here and now!"

Too afraid, she indulged his commands. She had no way of knowing if he were truly serious. She peered up at him; his face holding a solemn expression.

"I want you to stay this way while I'm fucking you. You look away once and I'll kill you! I want to see you in the throes of passion, knowing that passion was incited by me." He then lifted off her slightly to grasp ahold of his throbbing length and run his hand along it a few times before lining it up with her sopping crevice.

Eve almost closed her eyes again as she felt his girth slide into her and begin a brand new pace.

"Uh uh...keep those eyes open!" he reminded and raised his hand to get the message across.

She sniffled and cried while he pounded away at her; never once looking away and it seemed that he did not either. To him, it was all a game. He had on a wide smile and never once did he groan or make a sexualized sound. The eery silence made the experience that much worse.

He was truly messing with her mind...

Green hair tickled her face as the long dreads shuffled back and forth across her cheeks, making her crazy. She wanted to blink so badly when a strand billowed over her eyes. It was like he was daring her to look away. His eyes bore into hers and his smile faded when he readjusted his arms to encircle her, bringing them closer together. They were now nose to nose; playing a game of chicken. Who would blink first?

The aura surrounding them was heavy with dread and eroticism. He fucked her harder, knowing he was coming to an end. He liked the frightened look in her eyes; it turned him on more but he did not let it show.

At this point, Eve was at the brink of explosion once again. With sheer determination to not let him win, she refused to close her eyes as her second orgasm plowed through her body. She gasped and even released a low moan as the orgasmic rumbling came to an end.

By now her eyes were screaming for her to blink and she was about to when he suddenly froze up and grimaced. A small groan escaped his lips and he relaxed moments later. He'd reached his end but did not end his gaze until his length stop pulsating in her and even still he remained inside.

She finally blinked...and panicked. Would he kill her even now?

"I win girly," he said calmly, but he never raised a hand to her throat.

Relief washed over her as he slowly slid out of her body and climbed to his hands and knees. Joker rolled off the mattress and briefly stretched before exiting the room. Eve could only wonder what was going to happen from now on...

To be continued...


	13. Chapter 12

~Your Cell is Ready~ Minyadagniriel

Ch. 12: I'll Haunt Your Every Step (warning- severely intense)

Eve did not sleep at all after the Joker forced himself on her. She tried so hard to roll off the bed and get up, but her legs refused to work; at least until the crack of dawn. Very slowly she hooked her knees over the edge of the mattress and pulled herself along the side until she hit the foot of the bed. Her arms were heavy with fatigue and nearly dead from the drugs, but she made them grab a corner. She sunk her nails into the fabric and took in a few breaths. It was unbelievable how difficult it was just to make it two feet! Her feet touched the splintering boards of the floor and she prepared herself for a boost of strength. As best she could, she pulled herself into an upright position. As she did so, she felt a sort of cramping in her abdomen, but for now ignored it.

With her second wind of energy she shot up to stand, but immediately tumbled into a wall. Mustering a bit more strength allowed her to use the wall as support while she dragged her feet. Walking was a chore. She was sweating by the time she reached the doorway and then things got even worse. He tummy cramped up a bit more and she suddenly felt a trickling sensation down her leg. She glanced down momentarily and wanted to kill whomever decided women should the one to suffer from monthly cycles.

"Arg," she grumbled, "Not now!"

The insides of her legs were streaked with crimson and she would need to quickly get that cleaned up. "As if I needed another headache!" she complained.

The door was wide open. Joker never bothered to lock her in, seeing as he probably knew she wouldn't go far. She peered out into the hall and saw no sign of him and decided it was safe to leave. She slowly stepped along the hall, grabbing any piece of furniture or rail for balance. Her right leg was weaker than her left, so she practically hopped on one foot. She peeked into every room that she passed by, hoping that Joker was nowhere near. If she could just manage to find some clothes and shoes, she could get out of here.

After making it down one hall, she groaned while turning a corner and finding the grand staircase. It was going to be a bitch to get down. She kept up her pace with great difficulty and finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Eventually she became exhausted and tumbled to the floor. At this point she dragged herself forward until she reached another room and spotted the Joker within...

She peered into what looked like a lounge or study. Joker was reclining in an old armchair; his head leaning back. He was asleep. She saw that he wore no clothes; likely too tired to put them on after last night's activity. Eve saw the table nearby and the folder lying upon it. As tempting as it was to go in there and take, she wasn't going to play dumb. Quietly, she pulled herself up against the wall and stepped lightly past the room. Now where was the exit?

For the next twenty minutes she wandered and eventually gave up on finding a door. A window would have to do. She had better control over her legs at this point and was able to limp into the nearest guest room. There was a window thankfully and a torn curtain dangling from the rusted metal poles above. She only had to tug the curtain once to get it to rip off the rods. It was a deep burgundy color; covered in dust but still good. She wrapped it around her body before working on the boarded up window. This was not so easy and took her the better part of an hour to loosen the boards. Once those came down, there was glass to deal with. The window itself was cracked and had a few chips in it, but she would need to break it. A chair rested in the corner. She hoped to be able to lift it and smash out the glass. She would need to work fast as Joker was only a few halls away...

The clown had actually woken up and was stretching within the chair. He felt pretty rested and ready for a full day of torturing. He smiled when he thought of Eve and what wanted to do to her next. His stomach and muscles aches were very minimal. Last night was entirely worth it. He could even smell traces of her on his skin.

He got up and yawned. A trip to the bathroom was in order.

He sighed the moment he relieved himself in the toilet. While he finished up his business he thought of ways to get his next 'fix'. Eve should still be half unconscious but by now she may have some mobility back. Maybe he could get some use out of his knife? Perhaps making her bleed a little would entertain him. He had just about settled on some knife work when he heard a loud crash from the other end of the hotel. In a flash Joker exited the bathroom towards the site of the noise.

From within the guest room, Eve fell into the window sill and began clearing away the leftover glass, cutting her arms and hands. She didn't care about the pain. She only had so much time to climb out and hightail it for the woods in search of a business or try to pull over a passing car for help. Her arms were getting ripped up even further and she wiped away some of the blood on her face. Flying shards of glass had left tiny marks along her forehead and cheeks. Well she felt it was safe enough to climb through the window, she pulled her body onto the sill and swung her feet over the side. Then she heard it...

"Going somewhere girly?"

Eve shuddered and quickly glanced over her shoulder, knowing exactly what to expect.

The Joker was standing in the doorway of the guest; wide smile across his face and his arms crossed. He casually leaned back against the door frame.

Her first thought was to jump and she grasped the sill once again and fell outside. She tumbled to the ground; feet catching on some glass, causing them to bleed. Joker was on top of her in seconds but she managed to grab a large shard of glass before he could get a decent grip on her.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" she screamed and waved the shard at him, forcing him back.

"Oh ho! So we're gonna have a duel to the death?" Joker questioned and he picked up his own piece, "Come on at me Hot lips!"

"I'm going to find a highway and stop a car," she grumbled. Blood trickled down her face and into her mouth. She spat out some of the fluid and wiped her lips with her palm.

Joker couldn't help but notice how many cuts she contained all over her limbs. Her hair was stained in some places. "Ha ha ha! You look almost as crazy as I do! Actually like a candy cane!"

Eve stepped back a few steps to put some more distance between the two of them. However he would go forward a little bit, still holding that shard and grinning at her. Her nerves were shot and she had no idea where she would go after fleeing him. "Just don't come any closer to me."

"Awe why not?" he mocked, "Will you cut me if I do?"

"Yes!"

"You don't have the balls to cut someone...but I do!" he shouted before charging at her.

In fear, Eve swung her shard at him and missed. However, his did not. The glass slashed across her shoulder, allowing fresh blood to spill and stain more of her white skin. Next thing she knew, her legs were swept out from under her and she fell to the ground; shard still in hand.

Joker hovered over the still weakened girl, "It's too bad you decided to act like a naughty girl before I taught you any hand to hand combat. You have no skill."

In an act of desperation, Eve swiped him in the calf, cutting his flesh and causing him to cry out in pain. When he finally dealt with the injury, he grit his teeth and shoved his foot into her stomach, causing her to curl up into a ball. She lost her glass and was at his mercy.

"I'll show you how I deal with little bitches like you."

His tone had changed and she was truly terrified. She felt his foot sliding beneath her and pushing onto her stomach and then an immense weight settled on her rear. Joker was sitting on her. She panicked and tried to roll over or attempt to lift him off but in her weak state there was no hope. Her arms flailed about and legs kicked as best as they could. Next she heard a ripping sound and Joker grabbed one of her hands, pushed it over her head and began wrapping what felt like a strip of the curtain tightly around her wrist. Then he grasped her other hand and did the same until both of her wrists were connected overhead. She was not able to move them well nor could she bite through the fibers. The edges frayed a bit when her teeth ripped away at them. Moments later she felt the curtain being ripped down her back, exposing her skin to the cool morning air.

"Let's see how well you fare missy," Joker said casually as he flicked his fingernail against the edge of the glass shard.

She had no idea what he meant by that, "Huh? What do you m-" but her sentenced was finished with blood curdling screams. Her back was in tremendous pain as Joker dragged the broken glass across her skin.

"What a lovely sound," Joker stated, amused. He lifted the glass away after leaving a clean slice down the center of her spine. He continued with another starting at her right shoulder blade and dragged it downwards to her side.

Her body scrunched and flailed a lot, trying to get him to stop, but he grabbed onto her blood soaked hair and forced her face into the ground. Her bound hands were pinned under her chin. She barely managed to turn her head to the side so she could breathe. Her eyes were tearing up and she screamed again as she felt that horrible shard again on her left side.

"This is what happens when you disobey me or try to run away. Beg for your life..."

It was sickening the way he demanded her to plead to him. She couldn't let him win! Not this time! She grunted from the pain but said nothing, trying to tough out his torment.

"No? You do have balls girly, but I'm not feeling as generous as I was yesterday," he commented and dragged the glass horizontally across the initial three cuts.

Eve screamed again, this time it was much worse because he was slicing already freshly made wounds. Her back was throbbing and blood seeped everywhere, including Joker's legs and rear. He appeared to be enjoying it; sitting naked out in the open on top of a helpless girl while cutting her up. Several more cuts followed and she was cut to ribbons, "Beg for forgiveness," he commanded her, "Say it or I'll bleed you out!"

In her severe weakness, after nearly twenty minutes of torture, she finally caved, "O-kay...I g-give..." she whispered, inaudibly.

"What was that?" he asked and leaned in to listen.

"I...give..." she repeated but it was still not to the Joker's liking.

He yanked her hair up and lifted himself until he was able to flip her over onto her back. She yelped as her injuries connected with the muddy grass. He then sat back down, this time resting on her belly and purposely keeping the glass in his lap. He bent over to look into her eyes, but hers were shut tight, "Open your eyes."

She didn't.

"Open your eyes and look at me!" he shouted at her.

Frightened he may cut up her chest, she slowly opened them and her tears fell freely.

"Now tell Mr. J," he asked calmly, bringing one hand down to her face to stroke her cheek in a sickeningly gentle manner.

Eve grimaced when his fingers brushed against her flesh and she let out sniffles and tiny gasps as she cried.

"Swallow your pride girl and beg for me to forgive you," he coaxed as his fingers slid down to her throat, caressing it, "Or would you like me to slit your beautiful neck?"

She shook her head quickly in desperation, "N-no. Please d-don't. I'm sorry...I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"And?" he pushed.

She squeezed her eyes shut and begged, "F-forgive me...please!"

Joker smiled, "You won't try to run away again?"

She shook her head.

"Say it."

"P-p-promise I won't run a-again," she stuttered.

"That's what I like to hear missy," he said and the smile returned to his face. He tossed aside the glass and climbed to his feet, "What a beautiful morning." Moments later he gathered up Eve in his arms and carried her back into the hotel.

Three hours later...

Eve had been placed back into the room where she laid unconscious the day before. She was in so much pain that she didn't dare move. Her body was still very bloody and caked in mud and she lay on her belly to alleviate more agony. The Joker believed that she wouldn't try anything anymore and left her alone to wallow in her thoughts and hurt. She cried openly for the time being, wishing that she'd never gotten involved with Joker in the first place. In fact she was regretting many things in her life.

She heard a gentle knock on the door and knew it to be him. She swore by the way he acted with her that he must be bipolar.

"Hello sweets!" a fully dressed and clean Joker said merrily as he entered, "Feeling any better?"

Irritated but too scared to defy him she replied with a groan.

"Awe...that's too bad but I got some things that will make you feel all better!"

Eve cringed at the thought and tried her hardest to look up at him. She saw that he was carrying a large bag with the words 'General Hospital' written across it. "You robbed..."

"A hospital, yes. I don't believe anyone will notice a single sack of supplies missing from their inventory." He grinned at her, "Now be a good girl and stand up."

"I can't..." she moaned.

"What did I say before I left you alone for the last couple of hours?" he asked.

She sighed and repeated the instructions he'd given her before leaving the mansion, "Do as you say and I'll live-"

"-To see another day," he finished, "Now move it and follow me."

The second she move, she cried out but continued to push through it. She managed to roll off the bed and pulled herself up.

"Good girl," he complimented and without another word he led her out into the hallway. Every step was agony and she cried the entire way to their destination, the bathroom.

Eve slumped against a wall as Joker refilled the tub full of cool water.

"Get in," he demanded and patiently waited for her.

With her remaining strength she crawled over to the tub and allowed the curtain to drop from her body, not caring what the Joker thought of her mangled flesh.

"Red is a lovely color on you," he'd commented, seeing her naked and battered body. He waited for her to settle into the tub before fetching a clean white cloth from the bag and he began washing her down.

Her arms draped over the side of the tub as she knelt in the frigid water and her face rested against her blood caked arms. Her wounds were clotting but with every rub of the cloth on her limbs, fresh blood rose to the surface. It was surprising how gentle he was being with her this moment, "Why are you doing this?"

"If I wanted to sleep with a dirty girl, I'd find a prostitute," he joked.

She should have known that was the kind of response she'd get but she refrained from saying anything and allowed him to continue. When the cloth moved along the wounds down her spine and sides, she gasped heavily and arched her back. When she tried to move away from him, Joker grasped her around the neck and pulled her backwards so he could whisper in her ear.

"It will be over soon enough girly." He let go of her and continued working on her back.

She suffered through the burning of the soap and the friction from the cloth until Joker was satisfied with her. Lastly, he made her dunk her head under water a for a second to wash away a lot of the blood. Her hair was tinged pink but that was also taken out when he washed her hair thoroughly. The bath water was nearly a scarlet color when they'd finished. Eve's wounds still bled freely but the towel Joker wrapped around her soaked up a lot of it as they walked down the hallway again.

This time he led her to a brand new room which was a bit cleaner than the last one. The mattress inside was actually covered with linens and a comforter and even had pillows. A tarp had been placed down on it. Joker believed this room was where the owner would stay while he worked on refurbishing the hotel.

"Lay down."

It was the first time she actually wanted to listen to him and she carefully crawled onto the mattress and collapsed. Joker took away her towel much to her dismay but realized that he was inspecting her wounds now. He touched her back gently and wiped away any trickling blood.

"Beware that I don't have a steady hand when my patients struggle," he said as he removed medical tools and surgical thread. He held a long hooked needle and prepped it ready for use, "Unfortunately there is no anesthetic or analgesics so you'll just have to bite down real hard on this," he said and placed a rolled up cloth by her face.

"Wait! You can't, you're not qualified to-"

"Shut up! And don't move or you'll make it that much worse for yourself. After years of taking many injuries, I've learned to dress my own wounds without the assistance of a hospital."

Eve grasped onto the cloth and shoved it between her teeth, bracing for the first stitch to be made.

Joker then placed the needles onto her skin and began threading her skin together.

She cried and tried her best not to move at all. During the whole ordeal, he took pleasure in hearing her whimpers and groans.

Two hours into stitching her, he couldn't help but comment, "There's not a whole lot of difference between the sound of your agony and the sound of your orgasm."

"Stop it!" she yelped as another one of her lacerations was closed up.

"But I like the sounds of your pain and pleasure girly," he chuckled as he snipped the end of the thread, "Only one left and I must say I'm doing your back justice, sweetness."

The cloth in her mouth was soaked with saliva and tears. She had been screaming for so long her voice was hoarse. Eventually her back grew numb from the constant poking of the needle. It was over within the third hour and Joker cleaned up any excess blood and puss before bandaging her.

Grateful that the procedure was over, Eve relaxed into a pillow and closed her eyes, not caring if the Joker wanted her awake or not. She was exhausted and fell into a dreamless sleep very quickly.

Joker noticed her sudden departure and felt it was fine to leave her alone for a while, "That is the the last extension of generosity you'll receive girl." He stuffed all the medical tools back in the bag and got up, stretching out his arms and back before leaving the room and heading downstairs for a relaxing break himself.

That afternoon, Eve awoke from her long nap and in much worse pain than she was this morning after Joker stitched her up. Her back burned and she suddenly remembered how much she hated that nut job. She also realized that she was starving and hadn't eaten in a few days or drank anything. No wonder she felt so horrible and sick. Mostly will power pushed her to get up and find some water and food. She wrapped a sheet around her body. Every painstaking step took its toll on her, but she made it to the grand staircase and descended down to the first floor. She probably should find Joker first or he might think she was trying to escape again and without food or water, she wouldn't get far. He would kill her.

She found Joker in the study reading a newspaper. After having destroyed his television, there wasn't anything else to do. There was a bowl of fruit sitting on the table as well and suddenly her mouth watered. She had to eat something and soon.

While Joker was busy flipping through the comics, he heard a tiny tap on the door and smiled, "Come in girly." He didn't look up at her.

With Joker's permission given, Eve stepped into the room and seated herself at the table, not reaching for anything. Her limbs were heavy and eyes half closed.

Joker lowered his paper and glanced at her briefly, "You look awful sweetness, have a bad day?" he asked purposely.

She wanted to strangle him but knew better, so she remained silent.

"Why the mime act? Can't we have a little conversation?" He noticed her eyes on the fruit nearby, "Ah, it's been a few days hasn't it?" He pushed the bowl closer to her, "Have at it girly."

She didn't touch it. Who knows what he could have laced the food with.

At this point he put down the newspaper, "Come on girly, I can tell you're hungry." He picked up an apple and took a bite out of it as he got up out of his chair. He came around the table to her and waved the apple in her face as he swallowed. He pressed the apple to her lips, coaxing her to bite.

She wasn't able to tolerate the hunger pangs any longer and bit into the fruit. It was the most delicious apple she'd ever eaten. Well she's had many before this one, but days without food changes one's opinion. She greedily ripped the apple from his hand and began chowing down on it, savoring the flavor as if she'll never eat another meal. The apple disappeared in under a minute and she started on another one seconds after. Next thing she knew, Joker was placing a water bottle before her and she took that and downed it as fast as the apples. Her stomach felt instant relief and her energy was starting to return to her. After finishing the water, she followed up with an orange and a pear before settling back in her chair.

"Feel better?"

She responded with a drawn out sigh and a tiny nod. Her eyes closed but she wasn't allowed to relax for very long. Joker grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to her feet.

"Good," was all he said to her as he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. He held her legs tightly and exited the study, returning her to the second floor and back into the owner's suite. Joker dropped her down on the bed again and immediately he noticed that his forearm was stained with red and he removed his signature purple jacket. He tossed it onto the floor before peering at her. The sheet which she was wrapped in was stained red at her legs and grasped a handful of it to rip it off her.

Humiliation set in and she couldn't bear to look at him. It didn't take Joker long to figure it out.

"Like that'll stop me," he commented as he took off his orange undershirt, "We're going to play a little role reversal, Hot lips." He climbed onto the bed and propped himself up against the pillows; crossing his his legs and settling his hands upon his belly.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked.

"What? Hot lips? You'll find out why shortly," he uttered and followed up the comment with a smirk.

Eve shuddered and crawled away from him but he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into his body so that they were nose to nose.

"My aches and pains are slowly going away honey. Until they are gone completely, I'm going to take all that I can from you, wherever and whenever I feel like it." He squeezed her wrist harshly, making her yelp.

"I don't want-" she started.

"You don't want to? Oh girly, wrong answer." Joker held on to her while his other hand reached beneath the mattress and he ripped out a semi automatic pistol.

She gasped when he pointed it at her.

"Still gonna refuse me?" Joker cocked the gun and held it against her cheek.

She was shaking. When Joker said something, he typically meant it especially when it came to hurting people. With tears in her eyes she shook her head no and he let the gun fall away from her face.

"That's what I thought." He tossed the weapon to the floor and grabbed Eve around the waist and set her over his knees, "Women are at their best on their knees and pleasing their male counterparts," he laughed.

She took the hint but didn't like the idea at all. Though her back was in terrible pain, she ignored it and grasped onto his waistband to undo his buckle. His belt came off very easy and she separated his zipper and buttons to reveal bright green boxer shorts underneath. She slid the dark purple pants down his legs. She dreaded the next move but went along with it. His engorged erection sprang forth once the fabric was removed. Just seconds before she was about to perform, Joker grasped her chin and whispered a threat, "You bite and I'll make sure the next lashing kills you." He let go of her face and relaxed once again.

The gun sat on the floor but she wouldn't be able to get it with him right there so she had to do what he asked of her. She swallowed her pride and ran a finger down his length before her hand encircled him entirely. Stroking him was easy but he would expect her to do more. Joker watched her every move and her nerves were flaring.

"Having performance anxiety? You've done this before, so let's see some magic, Hot lips!" he encouraged and placed his palm on the back of her neck.

With Joker pushing her head forward, Eve had no choice but to open her mouth and accept him. The tip of his erection brushed against the back of her throat and she nearly choked. She brushed away his hand so she could set the pace. It would have to be a decent speed to keep him happy.

The roof of her mouth placed an awesome pressure on his cock while the softness of her tongue rubbed along the underside. Joker's eyes were half shut and his breathing sped up a bit in response to her stimulation. Once again his hand returned to the back of her neck to assist in her bobbing. Saliva dripped down his length and settled on his groin, but it only remained there until she included the use of her hand to stroke while she sucked him off. The moisture was just enough to keep her fingers from rubbing him the wrong way.

"Oh shit girly..." Joker mumbled and thrust his head back; his mouth hung open and he released multiple grunts and gasps.

She felt his grip tighten on her neck and he was actually pushing her harshly. Her airway was partially closed off and she had to stop. It was a pain to pull away as Joker kept a constant hold but she managed to sit back.

Annoyed, Joker said, "I didn't say to stop girly." He crossed his arms and patiently waited for her to continue.

She dreaded it but returned her attention to his cock. Her lips brushed the tip and she traced her tongue around the head before sliding all the way back down. She could feel his length pulsating between her lips. Every move she made elicited a growl or moan from him.

"That's the way..." he groaned. This time he placed both hands on her head and began raking his fingernails through her hair.

Eve could see his belly rising and falling and hear his gasps. The sad part was that his noises were having a profound affect on her but she wouldn't say anything about it. However, Joker had his own ideas and she felt him grabbed one of her legs and tug her bottom towards the head of the bed. Immediately she felt two fingers being forced into her center.

Startled she gasped, letting go of his length and instantly one of her hands flew to his arm to stop him, "Don't! It's not a good time! I'm-"

"I don't care. Think of it as extra lube," he replied and continued to pump his fingers in and out of her. His hand was taking on a pale pink color as her body began producing her sexual fluids and mixing with blood. He clearly took great pleasure in humiliating her and wanted to do something that would ensure she continues to follow his instructions. He removed his hand from her, reached up along her back and raked his fingers down the bandages, enjoying the sound of her cries.

"Ah! Oh my god! Why did you do that?" she shouted, cringing with pain and reaching for her back to try and dull it by rubbing.

"To make a point," he said. He then grabbed her by the hips and spun her around to face him. She now sat in his lap and kept her hands outstretched, pressing on his bare chest to keep some distance. But his hands crept up her back and he pressed down on her wounds causing her arms to buckle. She fell against him and they were now chest to chest and their faces were barely an inch apart. "So girly, how about a kiss?"

"Why should-"

"Uh uh, remember the deal. No refusal!" he reminded and he held her waist even tighter, putting even more pressure on her back, "So how about a nice...passionate...kiss?" His lips just barely touched hers.

Tears lined her eyes and she caved in to the request by connecting their mouths. His lips were unusually soft, not like last time they kissed. Of course last time they did this, it was a quick fling. Joker was fully into this one and he coaxed her into opening her mouth so their tongues could meet. He did most of the work; tongue spiraling around hers and exploring every curve. His hands loosened their grip and fell down towards her hips, allowing her to relax a little.

She could feel his nails digging into her skin, but this was much more tolerable than her back.

Joker was the one to eventually break the kiss and he let his hands slide further down her thighs, admiring the trail of blood being left on her right leg, "How about we 'consummate' our love girly, hm?"

She didn't like how he said that. Love? Yeah, right...

It wasn't up for debate. Joker didn't give her the chance to think about as he grasped her around the waist and lifted her up to line her with his rock hard erection. But then he let her go; leaving her on her knees and just hovering above him. He laid back and casually gazed at her.

Did this mean he wanted her to take the lead? Eve cocked her head to the side and he only responded with a nod. Her intuition was correct so she figured it was best to go along with it. She reached down to her core and pushed apart her folds while gently lowering herself onto his shaft. As soon as her delicate petals touched his tip, she let go and allowed them to spread around him on their own.

Joker was mesmerized. Seeing her body swallow his up like that was so hot. His mouth hung open and he sighed, loving the boiling heat of her womb surrounding him.

From beneath her, Joker's hips moved slightly upwards, encouraging her to get going. Eve placed her hands back on his chest and began a steady pace, moving up and down while he enjoyed the ride. She didn't like that he was staring at her, as if waiting for a positive reaction. Instead she focused on herself, trying to forget about sex and hoping to prevent him from giving her more injuries. She struggled to keep her wits as his hands snaked around her waist to assist in her movements. One of them fell even lower to play with her neglected clitoris and she arched her back the second his thumb stroked it.

His eyes didn't avert from her core. He liked watching his member slide in and out of her and he had the sudden idea to push the poor kid even farther. After tormenting her sensitive pearl for a few minutes, he had her flipped over in less than a second to where she was lying on the bottom now.

Even landing on the bed in her condition was painful. The tarp against her back offered very little relief and some of the rough edges were crumpled against her bandages.

"Ow! What are you doing?" she questioned, not caring if he got angry with her. To be honest, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

Joker was still filling her up but he stopped fucking her entirely. Nothing but a creepy smile graced his features.

"How about a flexibility test?" he asked, a little too happily.

"What?"

Joker yanked himself out of her and sat on the bed, one hand continuously stroking himself, "Spread em nice and wide girly, this is really going to hurt."

Her legs instantly shot together but they didn't remain that way for long as he grabbed her ankles and forced them apart.

"Do you want me to shoot you now!" he screamed.

Eve froze up, petrified, but she still didn't release her legs.

Irritated Joker reached over the side of the bed and picked up the pistol, quickly cocking and pointing the gun at her. In a flash, he pulled the trigger.

Eve screamed and turned her head, thinking that she'd been shot but there was no pain. When she opened her eyes, she found that Joker was not laughing nor smiling and that seemed to scare her more than being shot at. She glanced to her left to see feathers strewn about the pillows. He really did fire a bullet, but missed her on purpose. He meant it...he would kill her.

"The next bullet will go between your eyes," he said as the pistol was placed against her forehead, "Spread em..."

There was no resistance or complaints as she did as he told her to. Her legs were in a near split and Joker lowered his weapon, but did not discard it this time. He put it down on the mattress next to him and out of her reach. He returned to masturbating and peered down at her dripping wet pussy. Fluids were seeping everywhere and the interior of her legs were heavy on the red side, much like his lap. No matter, this would still be fun.

"I've always wanted to try this," he commented, full smile returning to his face.

Through her tears, Eve looked down at her groin and saw his right hand wandering down to her entrance. Then it happened...

She shuddered when she felt the insertion of three fingers. They stretched her farther than she's ever been. It didn't help at all when he pumped them a few times and she could barely take it. Her body began writhing and she begged and pleaded for him to stop.

"It hurts! Please don't!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears. If anything, he did the opposite by putting a fourth finger inside her.

This made her scream in agony and she grabbed at his wrist, trying to force it out.

"I can feel your walls contracting Hot lips," he groaned. He pushed back against her, letting his fingers trail along the roof and slide along the soft cushions of her vagina. She was so slick and tight it was ridiculous and he grew even bolder, "I know how far ladies are capable of stretching, this should be nothing to you!"

"Not for a first timer!" she yelled at him. She threw her head back against the pillows, having almost given up the fight.

Joker only laughed at her, "Well then, 'first timer' lets see what your limit is!"

"No! Please don't!"

But it was too late. Joker had already plunged his final digit inside and began slowly sliding his entire hand inside, "Wow, what a boiling pot!" he joked.

The largest part of his hand stretched her so far, she swore she had ripped apart. She was wailing now as his knuckles passed through and shortly thereafter, a little relief followed. His wrist was a bit smaller so her folds had a chance to recover.

"Well, now you have some idea of pushing out a kid!" he laughed.

She was grateful that he didn't move his hand right away. It gave her a chance to adjust to the new feeling. It wasn't for long though because he started to carefully move his hand at a snail's pace.

For ten painful minutes she suffered. Her body did stretch enough for his hand but the aches lingered and she had no more tears left to shed. She lay there accepting his advances until he grew bored. When she could no longer take it, luck was on her side and Joker slid his hand out of her. She saw that he was admiring his blood stained hand and she began to grow nauseous. How could he get so much pleasure out of these grotesque acts?

She was in so much pain that she didn't care anymore.

As a finale, Joker returned to hovering above her and he stroked her cheek with the bloody hand, leaving a red print on her flesh before leaning forward to crush her lips with his and reinserting his length into her ailing passage. He thrust harshly and his sickening kiss did not end until he reached his peak. His orgasm was intense and drawn out. His voice deepened once he reached the end of it and he leaned even closer to her to whisper...

"Let this be a lesson to you. You try to run, you get raped. If you be a good girl, Mr. J will be a gentleman." He lifted himself off of her to get up. He inspected himself from head to toe, "Damn it girly, now I need another bath!" He chuckled and looked at her, "And so do you!"

Eve was beside herself, not able to concentrate after being put through so much.

To be continued...


	14. Chapter 13

Your Cell is Ready

Chapter 13

You Will Suffer Me

Several days went by and Eve had been left alone in most regards. Joker continued to drag her out of her room so she could eat and bathe herself. He only tended to her wounds if she behaved. She was grateful that he didn't force her into any sexual activities since that horrible night...

Her legs ached for three days following that stunt. She vowed never to let another man perform that on her again.

Joker left the hotel many times to retrieve supplies, mostly while she slept. He took the gun and knives with him so she wouldn't get any ideas if she woke up. He knew she was too frightened to run away and he would always pursue her if she did manage to escape. Lately his illness has been acting up, but the cramping and severe nausea had alleviated since the first few bouts. It was slow progress, but he knew he was closer to being cured.

It was now the middle of the night and Eve was wide awake in her room, trying to place new dressing on her wounds. Her back proved to be difficult to do and she gave up trying to slide the wrapping around her torso. However her limbs and feet she accomplished in ten minutes or so. Her skin was healing quickly, but still felt hot to the touch. She was very lucky a major infection didn't attack her skin. Joker was right, he did have a lot of experience in caring for wounds, so she did thank him for that.

Now she needed to figure out a way to get out of there. Even though she promised Joker she wouldn't attempt another escape, she had enough strength and courage to break it. But this would require some thinking through, otherwise he might kill her. For the next hour she thought it over and eventually had something in mind...

Joker finally returned after ripping off the local bank and a convenience store. The countryside had very minimal security and he was able to escape long before the police even arrived. He arrived back carrying a large knapsack which overflowed with cash.

"So pathetically hilarious how the police system operates out here," he said as he tossed tonight's spoils on the table. A few thousand dollars spilled out and a newspaper, but he ignored them and plopped down into his recliner. He ripped off his coat and tossed it aside. He began fanning himself. The lack of air conditioning was getting irritating but he would have to make do until he found another safe hideout. Tonight was particularly hot, "Ugh..." he groaned as he unbuttoned his shirt and let it hang open. He leaned back in the chair and put his feet up on the table, money spreading everywhere as he did so. The newspaper nearby was partially open and he dragged it over with his toes before grabbing it and reading page one's headline.

Arkham officials dumbfounded as super villains manage to escape. Several injured officers, four dead including two patients and two orderlies.

The article then went into the convicts who managed to get out. Riddler was one of them and it made Joker wonder if that nut-job would be coming after Eve or go his own way. He actually felt a sense of dread.

He had to wonder how the girl was doing right now, especially while he was absent, but it would have to wait. He was tired from the heist and wanted to rest a bit. Last he knew it was around three in the morning. Joker closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep but he only managed maybe twenty minutes of a catnap. Perhaps he was overtired?

Irritated he sat up again and grabbed a wad of cash, flipping through it. He stuffed two grand into the pocket of his jacket and put the remainder back into the duffel bag. Out of the front pocket of the bag, he yanked out a small cell phone. It was one of those no-contract, pay by month usage phones. He'd stolen it from the store. The people likely used it as an emergency phone. Hopefully Punch and Judy had gotten out of prison because he could use their assistance.

He left everything sitting out and eventually slipped off his orange shirt. It was excruciatingly hot now and the only way he felt he could cool off was to relax in the tub.

Having only cold running water came in very handy in the summer. It felt very good on his skin as he slipped in. He splashed a bit of water in his face before completely submerging his head. He stayed under for a couple seconds before surfacing and squeezing the excess water from his hair. Then he leaned back to relax for a while.

Thirty minutes passed. He peered at his fingertips, seeing they were wrinkling from water exposure and he pulled the drain plug with his toes. He climbed out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist before collecting his pants and throwing them in the tub. He planned to wash his clothes in the morning. He raked his fingers through his hair to remove majority of the knots and separate out the dreads. After he was satisfied, he wandered out of the bathroom to allow himself to air dry. The halls were dark save for the few night lights here and there. He patted down the hallway, intending to check on little Miss hostage. He peeked into her room and saw that she was curled up on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. He saw a pile of bloody bandages on the floor. She must have taken them off.

He kicked aside the soiled wrappings and approached the side of the bed. She was facing away from him. He knelt down at the bedside and gently pulled down the the blanket. The wounds were still swollen but greatly reduced in redness since the second day of having them. He ran his fingers along one of the cuts. A small amount of pus oozed from the stitches and she shifted a little while making a gentle squeaking sound. Then she stirred from her sleepiness and turned her head to look at him. Not a word was uttered from her mouth and she rolled back over. She fell back asleep.

After checking each wound on her back, Joker left her alone in the room again. Her back was healing as it should be.

At this point, Joker was tired enough to finally pass out for longer than a few minutes. He slept until nearly one in the afternoon. He stretched out in the recliner and yawned while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. When he was fully awake, he eyed the empty bowl on the table and then his eyes averted to the other side of the table. Eve was seated at the other end with her head down on the wood, eyes hidden within her arms. She must have been sleeping because her breathing pattern was slow and steady. The bag on the table was moved and money piled onto the floor. She must have rummaged through it looking for something to eat because there was an apple core a foot away from her and a few other uneaten fruits nearby. He picked up a pear and bit into it. Not bothering to fix the towel around his waist, he got up and approached the nearby window to peer outside. It was raining again. Seems it did nothing but rain these days. He tossed the pear core out the window and wandered around Eve, inspecting her yet again.

He frowned. To be honest with himself, he was getting tired of fighting with her, especially to get his fix. What if she truly did manage to get away and notify the authorities of his location? Or worse, Batman? Plus chasing her all the time was annoying.

She stirred slightly, adjusting her arms and revealing her face.

Still, he liked playing this game. It kept him on his toes and he happened to be getting laid frequently for winning. He didn't get a whole lot of action in recent years, thanks to his heavy crime-ridden schedule. Joker pushed a loose tendril of hair out of her face and looked at her back. The slashes were still protruding and leaking fluids, but otherwise were okay. She managed to behave really well the last few nights and he felt she was 'deserving' of something special. He moved back over to the chair and picked up his towel to rewrap around his body. Then he grabbed the cell phone and grabbed his coat up off the floor. He kept all of his weapons in their respective pockets.

The phone was still right where he left it on the table and he snatched that up, shoving it into his coat. He tied the jacket around his waist before approaching Eve again. He gently pushed her so her back pressed into his arm and he scooped up her legs with the other, careful to keep the sheet wrapped around her. He carried her out into the hall and back upstairs to her room. The bed was looking comfortable and he placed her down on it, propping her head on a pillow. He took off his jacket and allowed the towel to fall to the ground before climbing in, curling up behind her. He slipped his arm over her and pressed his belly into her back. Her skin was hot and he could feel the hardness of the stitches against his flesh, but ignored it. It might be a while before she would awaken, but he would wait this time.

Two hours later...

It was such a beautiful dream, but all dreams must come to an end and Eve's eyes opened a little to be greeted with nothing more than a white wall. She blinked a few times and realized that the wall was breathing and she suddenly remembered where she was. She gasped lightly and tried to push away from her captor but his arms were locked around her. Without moving her head too much, she looked up and saw a set of maddening red eyes gleaming back at her.

"Goooooood morning!" he greeted, "Sleep well?"

She groaned and attempted to slide out of his arms.

"Now, now missy," he said, keeping a hold on her, "Don't you want to stay toasty warm right here with me? It was hotter than hell last night but the cooler winds are blowing in and Mr. J's been feeling a bit chilly!" he said happily. He never let her respond and immediately rolled on top of her, his legs pushing hers apart so he could lay between them. The only thing separating them now was a sheet. He half expected her to slap him, knee him in the chest, deck him, anything...but it never came. She just stare at him, unmoving and with no emotion.

"Why the mime act?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Talk," he commanded.

"Just not in the mood," she replied quickly before she angered him. That was the last thing she wanted to do, especially right now if she were to act on her gut and go through with this.

"How can I get you in the mood?" Joker questioned and grinned at her.

She blinked. He was asking her? Normally he just took what he wanted, "I...well," she blurted out, truly not knowing how to begin but it appeared as though he would.

Joker chuckled, "I think I know."

Before she knew it, Joker was pulling off the sheet from her body. She didn't reject and he shouldn't question it since he made her promise not to resist last week. However she did have something else in mind. There was a good chance that Joker kept a weapon in the room. He did so every time he raped her thus far. Where it was, she wasn't sure so she needed to figure that out first. So for now, she decided to resist. Her hand flew up to his chest and she began pushing against him and drove her foot up into his belly, not very hard but enough to get the point across.

Irritated Joker quickly grabbed onto her wrist and pushed it down into the mattress, "Hey! Hey! What about our deal from last time?" he spat out angrily. He wasn't reaching for any weapons.

Eve knew she had to push him a little bit further and she pulled her hand away harshly, but her foot went right back into his belly.

Angered, Joker leaned over the side of the bed and picked up his jacket, ripping out his pistol.

She paid very close attention to his actions and saw his knife and a cellphone fall out of the pockets and onto the floor as he pulled the gun. She just had to hope he wasn't going to shoot her this moment.

"Need I remind you girly?" Joker growled and pointed the gun at her face.

She quickly shook her head and relaxed as the pistol was taken away. It was nerve wracking but she got what she wanted, but now she had to develop the nerve to execute her plan. Joker was not going to like it one bit, "I'm...sorry," she whispered, making sure to sound sincere.

"Forgiven doll face. Now where was I?" he wondered out loud. Before he had the chance to pick up where he left off, he felt his hand being moved and then placed on top of a soft mound. Eve had taken the initiative and began encouraging him by squeezing his fingers. He grinned, happy to see her playing along, but he held his suspicions. For now, he crushed her left breast within his fingers and maneuvered his body until he was face to face with her. He had every intention to kiss her but she beat him to the punch and her arms flew up to his neck, pulling him down. She connected her lips with his and began with a gentle kiss.

He was confused at first since the last time she was so willing they were both in Arkham. It was nice to see her so enthusiastic again and he put a bit more emphasis into the kiss by sliding his tongue into her mouth. She accepted it without complaint and even fought to push hers into his, which he really loved. He arms snaked around her torso and touched the injured skin. She flinched and breathed deeply when his fingers brushed along them, but she never stopped his advance. He rather liked her minuscule yelps and continued touching the wounds, seeing if she would attempt to force him off.

She dealt with those fucking fingers, no matter how badly they were hurting her. She knew he was trying to push her into resistance, but he wouldn't have it his way this time. Instead she intensified her kisses, trying to show him that she wouldn't succumb.

She wasn't falling for it. His little test failed. Still, he had to give her props for toughing it out and since she was so eager to get straight into it, he decided that she was worthy of a little reward and he broke the kiss in order to continue it on her neck. He kissed and sucked her skin until it turned a pale pink and moved along to her collarbone to lay a long stretch of nibbles. His hand slipped away from her chest and slowly moved down along her belly until it reached the mound of pale white curls. Then one fingertip brushed against her clitoris and she shuddered and closed her eyes. When it passed over a second time, she released a tiny mewl and her hands immediately slipped down to his sides and her nails began raking along his skin.

It didn't hurt, in fact Joker rather liked it so he purposely kept pressing her hot button while his mouth slipped all over her chest. He focused his efforts on teasing her and trailing his tongue on every bit of flesh. Eventually he reached her breasts and instead of focusing directly on the nipple, he lowered himself down enough to place kisses along the underside of each soft mound. It had a greater affect on her because her back started to arch and her legs tightened their grip around his waist, making it impossible for him to get his hand back for the moment. He followed up by sending his hot tongue over her right nipple and sucking in the entire areola. The suction of his mouth left behind a large purple mark after a few minutes and he admired the newly formed hickey.

"How about one to match?" he whispered.

Eve replied with a soft moan.

"All right..." Joker smiled and wandered over to her other breast to leave another. He could feel her hands trembling and traveling up his neck, gently massaging and dragging those delectable nails along the base of his skull. It was heaven the way she sent shivers down his spine. When he finished leaving another love bite on her he brought his face up and looked her directly in the eye.

Eve just blinked, curious to know what he was about to say.

"Talk to me," he said calmly.

"..." There really were no words coming to her mind.

"Whisper to me your erotic fantasies," he encouraged, "Tell Mr. J what you want and I'll worship you. Talk dirty to me."

She was taken aback. For once he was going to obey her wishes? However it seemed he wasn't through chatting with her.

"How do I make you feel when I do this?"

Suddenly she felt his tongue lapping against her belly and then slowly making way down to her hips. She squirmed slightly, trying to turn on her side but he gripped her thighs and held them down.

"C'mon girly, are you enjoying this?" he asked again and returned to placing kisses and licks to the juncture between her torso and thigh.

"Y-yes," she admitted.

Joker chuckled and squeezed her luscious legs, "I'm feeling...thirsty," he said, heavily emphasizing the word 'thirst'. He lowered his body even further until he lined up with her vulva, "I feel like a Pink Lady cocktail!"

She was fully prepared for his tongue to lavish her but he stopped short and she leaned up to wonder why. When she peered down at him, he only smiled at her and looked extremely patient.

"I'm waiting," he said.

It was clear that he wanted her to beg him for it. She leaned back against the pillow. How could he put her through this humiliation? It was by far much worse than what he did to her in the past. It was difficult, but she had to do this...

It came out as a very faint whisper, "I want to be touched so badly..."

"What was that girly?" Joker asked placing a palm close to his ear and his other hand reached for one of hers, intertwining their fingers. He squeezed gently, "Say it..." he coaxed.

Swallowing her pride, she said, "I want to be touched, tasted..."

He dropped his hand from his ear, "Oh my...I think Mr. J can satisfy that request." He then pushed his tongue into her swollen folds and dragged his tongue along the smooth surface of her canal. Fluids were pouring out of her and he lapped them up, growling and making the occasional pleasure filled noise. He ran two of his fingers along her thigh and brought it to her base, allowing for them to join his tongue inside her body. He pumped his digits in and out of her, bringing with them more juices. His chin and neck were soaked and fingers slick.

Eve blushed heavily when she heard Joker's gasps between swallows. It was getting to where she could barely take him much longer. "S-stop, I can't take much m-more," she pleaded.

Joker stopped his caressing and sat back, "Your wish is my command, my lady. What would you have me do next?" He knelt over her to show his sincerity, "Would you like for me to slide my cock into you now? I'll fuck you hard...that's a promise."

Her eyes were glazed over and she felt a rush of excitement travel down her spine, "Yes..."

"Yes, what?" His face lingered down close to hers and he let his tongue trace along her lips, "Say how badly you want me to give it to you."

Eve looked up at him and saw the blush spreading across his cheeks. It was unusual to see him so normal.

His hand stroked her face, "C'mon girly. I can tell you desire me. I see it in your eyes." He pressed another gentle kiss to her lips and waited.

She did want it, very badly and finally broke the silence, "I want to be fucked."

Joker's smile widened, "By your will my lady." He sat back on his haunches and grasped her by the hips, pulling her towards his groin. There her body met with his and he took his time entering her, watching as his length passed through her silken petals and disappeared until he pulled out again. He liked how her vagina swelled and shrank around his girth...it was delicious. His thumb joined in on the action and rested on her sensitive bud, putting vast amounts of pressure on it. His eyes then lingered up to her chest, mesmerized by her breasts as they bounced with every thrust and how she busied her hands by squeezing them. Her eyes were closed and lips were parted just enough to release her most intimate groans and mewls...a symphony to his ears.

Even though she was enjoying how tender he's been, she had to remember that this man nearly killed her on several occasions. For now, she would enjoy the ride until she made her move. Since she was obviously in charge during this romp, she encouraged him to turn her over and enter her from behind.

They were both on their knees; her back to his belly. His hands were roaming all over her breasts and stomach, gently raking the flesh and massaging her lower belly. Sometimes his fingertips traveled down to her pussy and he purposely touched his length as it entered her body. It was gratifying.

In order to feel a deeper penetration, Eve arched her back sharply; her rear pushing into his hips while her head fell back against his shoulder, exposing her neck. He took advantage of this submissive move and bit down on her shoulder, leaving teeth marks behind and a trail of saliva to drip down her chest. Then he slowly moved up her neck and behind her ear where he began whispering to her.

"You enjoy it when I'm sliding in and out of you. Your body is intoxicating..." he said. "We can do this every day if you behave." His finger stroked the hood of her clitoris, sending white hot passion throughout her body. "Do you love having sex with me?"

She didn't respond.

"Do you love...me?" he asked.

Eve was unsure if he was being sincere or if this was just pillow talk. She figured it wasn't harmful to the situation to respond with, "I do." She then brought her hands up and placed them on his shoulders, one of them snaking around his neck. She could feel his lips brushing against her palm.

Joker's attention was fully on her now, "You do..." he repeated and gently pushed her forward so he hands were on the mattress. It didn't stop there and he pressed her shoulders downwards so only her rear was up in the air. His hands now held her hips as he pumped into her.

Eve reached for one of the pillows and pulled to her body, squashing it under her chest for support. Her senses were scrambling at this point and she was so very close to her end. It was difficult to not let it be known. Her heavy breathing gave her away.

His breaths had also grown heavy and he slowed down his pace to ensure that he did not orgasm before she did. Judging by her cries, he'd guessed she was seconds away from the big finish. He wanted to see her pained expression when the moment hit her. Quickly he pulled himself out of her and flipped her body back over before reclaiming her aching core. He quickly dipped his thumb into her leaking fluids and began vigorously rubbing her clitoris, listening to her moans and breaths hasten.

She could feel the intense spiraling heat in her lower belly building. It traveled down towards her entrance, causing her walls to contract and finally with a lot of Joker's assistance, she burst into a deep vaginal orgasm. Her body stiffened and her mouth fell open as she sang to God. Then her eyes rolled back and her fingers grasped at the sheets, nearly ripping holes in them.

It was so amazing to feel those involuntary contractions squeeze around his shaft. He wound up closing his own eyes as she slowly rose out of her peak. His orgasm wasn't quite there yet and so he continued to fuck her. She was beginning to calm down and he felt she was coherent enough to speak to.

"That sounded whimsical, yet intense," he said.

Eve just sighed. It was finally over and she now needed to act quickly. She knew he was getting close to the end and now was the time to make a suggestion.

Just as he was about to increase his pace again, Eve reached for one of his hands and asked, "Let me finish you off."

"You already are girly," he replied.

"No. A different way."

"How so?"

She gently tugged on his hand, signaling for him to lean forward, "Trust me." She was very lucky that he was heavily intoxicated in sex. He didn't even give it a second thought and crawled forward. His length slid out of her body and she placed her legs over the side of the bed; feet touching the carpeting. Then she knelt down on the floor and tugged him to the edge so his erection was before her. Quickly she gripped onto his throbbing penis and started with a brief hand job before accepting him into her mouth.

"I can deal with this," he said, thoroughly enjoying her tongue running up and down the underside of him.

While her mouth stayed busy, her hands wandered up to caress his stomach and chest. He took it upon himself to take one of her hands and bring two of her fingers to his lips and began sucking on them. Her hand stroked his muscles, nails gracefully maneuvering around every curve. She then pressed into his chest, having him lay back. He was now staring up at the ceiling, fully embracing her masterful tongue and lips. It was ridiculous how close he was.

Now was her chance. Joker had completely forgotten about the weapons that lay on the floor near her and she could see the gun and knife inches from her left foot. Carefully she slipped her hand from his grasp and placed it on his thigh to trick him into thinking this was part of her performance. She massaged his inner thigh for a few minutes before eventually reaching down to the floor and pushing the gun away silently. It slid under the nearby cabinet. She also quickly grabbed the cell phone and gently placed it on the bed. Then she picked up the retractable knife and waited for the right moment.

"Oh fuck!" Joker groaned and he suddenly felt that familiar rush of heat running through his loins and then up his penis. He half expected Eve to pull away just as he shot off his load...but it wasn't the case.

As disturbing as it was to her. She needed to ensure that he was entirely within her control this time. She tasted the first shot of semen as it spilled onto her tongue and wanted to gag. It was so damn bitter but she forced herself to suffer through it and began swallowing every ounce he poured into her.

Joker grimaced as the last of his seed emptied from him and he remained reclined on the bed trying to recover. "Shit girly, I didn't expect you to do that," he commented and continued to enjoy the strokes given off by her.

With swiftness, Eve opened the switch blade and brought it up to his groin, placing the knife dangerously close to his still erect length just before saying, "Neither did I."

A laugh escaped his lips and he began to pull himself up to a sitting position, "Had I known you were into that, I would have made you do it-

Eve braced herself the second Joker's sentence cut off.

Joker froze up the instance he saw Eve's position with him now. She was still crouched on the floor, but now she was holding tightly to his softening length while her other hand was glued to the knife. The blade was placed against his flesh, threatening to hack it off at any time.

"Oh...son-of-a" Joker stuttered, utmost panic taking over, "Girly...what are you-

"Exactly what you see, clowny..." she uttered in the most sadistic voice she could muster, "Here's the deal, you do exactly as I say and I'll let you keep your man bits for a little while longer."

"Y-you don't have it in ya!" he yelled.

"Wanna bet!" she screamed back, allowing the blade to nick him.

Joker flinched and released a huge amount of air, "Okay, okay!" he said, raising a shaky hand in hopes she wouldn't do that again, "What do you want me to do?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

"I want you to pick up that phone," she said, gesturing to the little cellular, "-and call the police, give them directions on how to get here. Tell them to be here within the hour because I can't stand being around you any longer!"

Joker hesitated for a moment.

"Do it!" she barked and pressed the cold steel against his member again.

"I'm doin' it, I'm doin' it!" he shouted and quickly picked up the phone. He dialed for emergency services and placed the phone up to his ear while watching Eve's unsteady hand holding the blade.

"Is it ringing?" she demanded to know.

His adrenaline was rising and a fear was boiling up inside him when there was no dial tone.

"Is it ringing!" she screamed.

"There's no fucking dial tone!" he growled.

"You liar!"

"Listen!" he yelled and pressed the phone to her ear.

Joker was telling the truth. There was no ring tone, meaning the signal out in the country was very bad.

"Fuck!" she shouted in frustration and briefly shut her eyes.

At this very moment, Joker saw an opportunity and he punched her very hard across the face, knocking her to the side. The blade remained in her hand for an additional moment and sliced across delicate flesh before flying out of her hand and out of sight.

Joker screamed in agony and was too afraid at first to see the damage. He sucked it up and peered down at his lap. An enormous gash was running down his thigh and he released a half-hearted chuckle. He was very happy to see that his length was still there and in one piece. He then gripped onto his bleeding thigh, putting a lot of pressure on it while crying out, "You missed!" He couldn't get up right away from being in so much pain.

Eve slowly crawled to her feet. Now she'd done it. He was surely going to kill her now but at least he was injured. Now was her chance to run! She ignored the terrible throb in her cheek and quickly reached to the floor for the purple jacket. She hightailed out into the hallway; wrapping the coat around her body. She flew down the main staircase and into the original room where she broke out the window. It wasn't boarded up or covered by anything, so escaping was a breeze this time and there was no Joker right on her heels. She climbed out the window and took off towards the dirt road.

Back in the hotel, Joker stumbled to the bathroom, trying to keep pressure on his injury and cursing the entire way. He was furious that he lost focus for even a second. He grabbed the bag of stolen medical supplies and rummaged through them, looking for thread and needles. Eve's punishment would have to wait. He swore when he found her, he would put her through the worst torture he could think of and make sure she survived it to experience the utmost horrific pain.

To be continued...


	15. Chapter 14

Your Cell is Ready

Chapter 14

Damaged

Her feet were bleeding again and she was soaked. Mother nature was not kind to poor Eve. She'd been walking for hours in the cold with no signs of rescue. Only one car passed her but they ignored her jumping and screaming form. Most people tended not to pick up hitchhikers, especially if they were on the outskirts of America's most dangerous city. She cried until her eyes burned and her throat was growing hoarse from screaming for help.

She pulled Joker's coat tighter around herself for warmth, but it could only do so much. It just seemed like the whole world was against her.

How many miles has it been? She should have known better than to divert from the path but she worried that Joker would eventually come after her. The most logical thing to do would be to stay on the path, so she did the opposite. Now she was lost. Perhaps she shouldn't have attacked Joker like that. At least in that hotel she had food, was clean, and had someone looking after her wounds, which by the way were now stinging from rain water.

"Damn..." she groaned as she stubbed her foot on a tree root and tumbled into the mud. Now her legs and hands were filthy.

For another hour, she wandered through the woods until she found another stretch of pavement. Finally a major road!

"Yes!" she exclaimed as her feet touched something other than brush and rocks. She picked a direction, South, and followed the road for another two miles until a building came within sight. Excitement flooded her mind and she did her best to jog up to the entrance. It was a small motel, a Super Eight. She yanked open the office door and found a gentleman seated behind the front desk, reading a magazine. He was startled when the door flung open and he saw Eve.

She needed to be very careful of what she said and not let this man know she was an escapee from the asylum.

"Ma'am, are you all right?" the man asked.

"Y-yes. I just got...caught in the rain is all," Eve lied and she pulled her coat tighter, "I need a room please." She stumbled towards the desk, looking much worse for wear.

"Would you like me to call an ambulance?" he asked.

"No. T-that won't be necessary. Just a room."

The clerk nodded but his carried the look of worry as he pulled open a registration book, "How will you be paying for the room?"

Eve's eyes widened, she didn't even consider that, "Um..." she began and started grasping at all of her coat pockets in panic. For a moment she thought she had nothing until she felt a bulge in the coat's interior. She stuck her hand in the pockets and her fingers enclosed around something thick. She withdrew a large wad of money and felt a bit of relief, "Cash," she told the clerk.

"Right," the man smiled, "May I assist you to your room? Do you have any luggage?"

"Oh no, just me. Thanks. How much for the room?"

"Sixty-five per night and a twenty-five dollar deposit that is given back to you upon your return of the keys."

She nodded and counted out the money required before placing it on the desk, "Sir, this is going to be an odd request but has there ever been any articles of clothing left behind by other guests that you don't mind turning over to me? I'm in desperate need as you can see," she said, gesturing to her attire.

"I'm not supposed to hand out other people's missing items, but I suppose your need is great. I'll check the back room and see what I can find."

"Thanks."

The clerk pushed the registration book towards her, "I'll also need a driver's license and your signature here," he said and pointed to the blank line next to 'Guest'.

Immediately Eve threw down a another two-hundred dollars, "Can we skip over the identification portion of this? I'm looking for complete privacy."

Enticed by the extra cash, the clerk smiled, "Certainly. I'll go check the back room and get your keys."

* * *

Miles away...four hours ago...

Joker was groaning and trying not to howl as he finished with the final suture on his thigh. It was a bitch trying to keep the wound from bleeding while stitching himself. It took him nearly three hours to finish. He wrapped several layers of bandages around it and relaxed against the edge of the tub. It was so painful and he vowed many times over to get his vengeance. Still, he needed to go out after that albino runt and soon, otherwise she might get herself killed. He didn't have much choice but to put on his still damp slacks. He cleaned them as best he could to avoid his injury getting an infection. He threw on his orange shirt and went off looking for his coat, which appeared to be missing and remembered that Eve ran off with it. Meaning she had a stash of money on her. It would make her trek back to the city easier. He limped through the hotel, gathering up some supplies and stuffing a large chunk of cash in his duffel bag before heading out into the rainy evening. Darkness was rolling around and he would need to find sufficient transportation.

He walked along the main road until he reached the highway. There were plenty of cars passing him but only off in the distance was a car pulled over on the roadside. Someone was scrambling out in the rain to change a tire. Joker approached cautiously to see the owner and it appeared to be a teenage girl, freshly licensed and one who'd obviously never guess who he was. Meaning...naive. A great opportunity. He was only a couple feet from her. For a moment he looked over her and the small light blue Chevrolet Sonic and finally said, "Need a hand with that tire little miss?"

The girl jumped and quickly looked over her shoulder. She was confused by his appearance.

He was correct, the kid didn't recognize him. Most youngsters took to playing with their little electronic gadgets rather than pick up a newspaper once in a while.

"Uh, no sir. I'm fine thanks," she said, voice a bit shaky. She returned to sliding the tire off her car and she was about to replace it with a donut when she felt a set of arms wrap around her chest and neck.

Joker had grabbed the young blonde in a strangle hold and once he had a proper grip, his hands readjusted so an arm was under her chin and the other rested on the back of her neck and he squeezed. She grasped his arm in desperation and tried to cry out but he wouldn't let up. He held her until her body grew limp and she slid down to the ground. She wasn't unconscious but heavily dazed. He worked quick to rip off sections of her sweater and tied her hands and feet. Then he gagged her and began digging through all of her pockets looking for car keys.

"Heh, little miss, if I wasn't in such a hurry, I'd take you back home for a private party," he commented. For emphasis he ran a finger down her neck and to the top of her chest, "-but you're a little too young for me and underdeveloped." He then got up and opened the passenger door. Her purse lay on the seat and he searched it, retrieving about a million keychains. Joker rolled his eyes and began ripping off useless lanyards and fluffy balls of fuzz until he located the keys. Then he unhooked the keys and threw the other crap away. He gathered the girl up, popped open the trunk, and put her inside. It wouldn't be wise to leave her on the side of the road where someone could find her and give away his position. Following that he finished up placing the donut on the car and attaching the bolts before tossing the tools in the back seat.

He then jumped into the driver's side and cringed, "Shit, why are women so damn short?" he complained and adjusted the seat as far back as it would go and leaned the top back some. Also, the inside of the car was ridiculously girly. The seats were leopard print and steering wheel was covered with pink fur. A pair of pink fuzzy dice hung from the rear view mirror. He wanted to gag.

"There's no fucking way I'm driving to town in this shit," he said as he tore off the pink wheel cover and yanked the dice down. He threw them both on the back seat, "Could it get any worse?" he asked as he started the vehicle. He reached for the stereo hoping for some musical relief and the second the radio turned on, a horrific song by the name of 'Baby' turned on.

"Oh god! Fuck this shit!" He pushed the radio and realized it wasn't shutting off. It was a cd. He quickly yanked that sucker out of the stereo and proceeded to breaking it in half before shouting, "Girly, I'm doing you a favor! How can you kids listen to this shit?" He tossed the broken cd in the back and flipped through the channels, finally settling on Rob Zombie. "Now there's some good stuff."

He hit the gas and set off down the highway. He drove very fast, heading back towards Gotham. There was a good possibility that Eve would try to get to a hospital.

* * *

The Super Eight Motel...

Eve was resting comfortably in the bath tub, enjoying a warm bath and feeling the lovely suds clean her dirty skin. It was amazing what even a cheap brand of soap could do when you're absolutely filthy. Her white hair was actually in its best looking and pure state again; no blood or dirt streaking it. Her arms and legs were the same save for the scars lining them. Her back was still a huge mess and the wounds swelled up again, likely from being soaked with rain water. She prayed they weren't getting infected. When she finished, she climbed out and wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself and squeezed excess water from her hair. The tub had a brown ring around the bottom. The maid service won't be happy but whatever. She wandered into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed next to a large suitcase.

The clerk dragged this luggage to her room, stating a guest left it behind a month ago and never reclaimed it. Luckily it belonged to a woman and there was a fair selection of jeans and tee shirts. There was a plain black tank top inside and Eve quickly put that on, followed by a plain black tee. She would have to go commando, seeing as she won't wear someone else' undies for obvious reasons and slid on a pair of jeans. They were a touch snug. "Geez, this woman has got to be a size six or something. I can barely get these over my rear." In fact, Eve had to roll down the top of the pants since they wouldn't button. Curse her for having wide hips.  
It was getting late and she was exhausted. She crashed hard, careful to lay on her belly so not to irritate her injuries any further and fell fast asleep.

The following morning, Eve awoke in great pain and she rolled onto the floor screaming. She climbed to her feet, fingers gripping her shirt and she ran into the bathroom. She lifted her shirt and spun around.

"Oh my god!" she cried out.

It was horrendous. Her back was discolored a deep shade of purple and small black blisters were spreading around the lacerations. It was severely painful and she dropped her shirt, too afraid to continue looking at it. She'd gotten an infection, and a lethal one at that. When she was living with her father back in the nineties, they used to watch medical shows together. This looked a lot like a form of gangrene. It can kill her within days. Despair fell over her and she collapsed to the floor in tears. Now she had no choice but to call for help.

She cried for ten minutes before hurrying to the office and begging the clerk to call an ambulance. The emergency services, along with officials from Arkham asylum arrived on the scene within the hour and she was taken to Gotham city hospital with an armed escort...including the Batman.

It wasn't long before word got out that Eve was picked up. The newspaper printed it and she was featured on Gotham tv news. The police were aware of hers and Joker's situation so she would be under guard until she was well enough to return to the asylum. Batman and Commissioner Gordon stationed themselves at different points in the hospital, knowing that Joker would try to get to Eve at any cost. They would apprehend him then.

Many hours of surgery was performed and much of the discolored flesh on her back was removed. She was now in recovery, hooked up to many monitors and intravenous drips filled with antibiotics. She was unconscious.

* * *

The outskirts of Gotham city...late evening.

Joker literally ran the car into the ground. It was overheating and the engine died, forcing him to pull over. From here he walked; slowed by a heavy limp. It would take him hours to get to Gotham's hospital unless he found another mode of transportation. He considered hijacking a bus or cab, anything to get out of torturing his leg. The city wasn't bustling as usual, making him wonder. A news stand just up the street had the latest newspapers. After scaring away the cashier, Joker picked one up and flipped through a few pages, landing on exactly what he was looking for. Eve made the paper and she was only one of the many pictures of recaptured Arkham patients appearing.

He threw down the newspaper and smiled. He was right, she was at the hospital and there was a good chance she'd be heavily sedated. However there was also a high possibility that all of Gotham's super villains who managed to get out of the asylum would also be heading there. He saw a parked car across the street and limped his way over. With a fast jab to the driver's side window using his elbow, the plexiglass cracked and he cleared it out before unlocking and opening the door. It took a few minutes, but he managed to hot-wire the vehicle.

He would have to figure out how he was going to get inside the hospital without anyone catching him.

As suspected, the hospital was heavily guarded when he arrived and he had to park a block away in order to stay within the shadows. His next goal was the find a solitary guard. The north side of the hospital appeared to be less guarded than the other sides and Joker approached very carefully, waiting for an opportunity. From behind a thick hedge, he remained steady as a single officer carrying an AK-47 passed by. Joker quickly snuck up behind the man and latched onto his neck, quickly snapping it in a silent kill. Then Joker dragged the body into the bushes where he began stripping it down. He threw the officer coat and pants on over his clothes and slid on the boots and hat before picking up the gun and taking the small bag on the ground which the officer had carried. He dug through the bag and found additional rounds and a silencer.

"Nice..." Joker whisper as he attached the silencer to the end of the gun, "Things just got easier."

He did what he could to tuck his hair up under the hat and pulled the collar of the coat up to conceal part of his face before nearing the hospital. He kept a low profile and snuck around heavily concentrated areas of officers to find an unlocked window.

* * *

Meanwhile inside, Eve was stirring out of her induced sleep and she found herself in horrendous pain. She groaned and tried to slide her hands down to her back to relieve some terrible itching, but found her hands to be buckled to the side bars of her bed. She was lying on her stomach with her bandaged back exposed to the open. She grew nervous and began pulling at the restraints.

"Please don't do that Eve. We don't want you injuring yourself."

Eve did her best to look in the direction of the strange male voice, "Where are you?" she asked, not able to see him. From the shadows of the room, someone stepped forward and it was none other than the Batman. "Oh it's you," she said weakly, "What happened to me?"

"You have a very dangerous form of gangrene, called gas gangrene. It's a bacteria that enters your body through contact with soil most commonly. Your entire back was covered with it and unfortunately doctors had to remove ninety percent of the skin off your back. They placed a synthetic skin temporarily until they are able to take grafts from your legs. Anyways, you aren't out of the woods yet Eve."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Your body is not responding to the antibiotics very well and they are necessary for recovery. I've assisted the doctors in determining that Ivy's plant toxin may be a factor in that."

"The toxin? But Ivy said-"

"Ivy would have told you anything to ensure that Joker was taken care of. She befriends no one. What she didn't tell you is that the toxin would seriously weaken your immune system."

"She gave me a shot to protect me from the toxin!" Eve complained.

"It was a temporary dose. Ivy's body is biologically a plant while yours is not. She can absorb any toxin she likes without ill affects. The instant your body came into contact with the soil, it awakened the virus and now your system is struggling to fend off the gangrene."

Terror stricken and upset at Ivy's betrayal, Eve started to cry, "Am I going to die? Tell me the truth!"

"I don't know at this time but the hospital is working to develop a drug to slow down the poisons. For now, it's a matter of getting rid of your gangrene. That's a greater danger to you than the toxin."

Eve wiped her tear streaked face into her pillow, "How could she do this to me?" she whined.

"Ivy has never played very well with other women. It's just her personality type."

"So Ivy doesn't give a fuck if I die..." Eve muttered.

"Sadly no and having the Joker added to the situation makes her happier. If Joker dies, then there won't be anyone else in the world immune to her poisons."

"She used me."

Batman nodded.

"But it doesn't make sense! Joker's been injured and exposed to the air and ground, why isn't he reacting to the toxin?"

"It may have to do with his natural immunity, but we haven't seen Joker yet so there's no telling how his body is reacting. It may also have to do with you receiving a direct injection of the toxin and Joker only absorbing it through the skin. In any case, we need Joker to come to us so we can help both of you."

"I'm the bait..."

Yes, but we will keep you safe. For now, you need rest."

Without another word, Batman exited her room leaving a very distraught Eve. She buried her face into the pillow and bawled. It seemed like she'd been played her entire life. Ivy, Joker, and now she had to worry about the other villains of Gotham.

For the next hour she remained alone until a nurse stopped in to check her back. Unfortunately there was a bit of a relapse of gangrene and the edges of her surgically removed skin was starting to turn a deep purple again. According to the nurse, most patients suffering from of this type of gangrene move through the stages quickly. Usually forty-eight hours is considered near death. It hurt to hear this, but the nurse also reassured that medical technology was state of the art and her skin can be replaced. After their talk, the nurse gave Eve more medication to allow her to sleep while the doctors prepared her for surgery again. Her antibiotics were also increased and the nurse left to notify the surgeon.

Eve lay there, asleep and vulnerable but she was pain free for a while. While she dreamed, another visitor made his way into her room and wandered over to her bedside. Green hair spilled out from under his hat as Joker took it off and peered down at the sleeping girl. He knew this was serious by the looks of her condition. Her back was fully bandaged and he could see the tinge of purple skin up by her neck. It was a predicament. He couldn't move her from the hospital and he wasn't going to leave her alone for a second. It was a stalemate. What could he do?

While he thought of ideas, he gently tugged down her bandages and saw an enormous amount of her skin was removed. He actually cringed when he literally could see her muscle tissue from under the synthetic flesh. "Fuck," he growled. He now had some serious regrets to mutilating her.

He was startled moments later when he heard gunfire from outside and briefly peered out the nearby window. Officers were scrambling and firing off their weapons in every direction. What the hell was going on? Then he saw it.

"Shit," he uttered when he saw several of the buildings in the distance illuminated with large green lights... lights which he recognized and now had something to worry about. They were in the shape of question marks.

On the grounds, he saw many of the officers falling from return fire. He decided he needed to move the girl quickly and he severed all of the tubes attached to her arms, a dangerous act but there was no choice. He unbuckled her wrists, gathered her up in the sheets, and flung her over his shoulder before taking off into the halls. Nurses and doctors screamed when they saw him and immediately got out of his way. One of them managed to set off an alarm, which made it all the more reason to find a hiding place. He reached the stairwell on the south end of the hospital and began going up the stairs, seeing as there were officers rushing in from below. He burst through the roof emergency exit and found a dark corner to set her down in. He leaned her up against a wall and held tight to his rifle, waiting for anything or anyone to appear. Those lights on the buildings made him nervous but there were many officers scattered throughout the building which would provide a challenge for anyone.

"I know you're out there Riddler, just try to get by me," Joker muttered under his breath and he backed up next to Eve. He was so angry that he was forced to protect this girl.

As he stood there waiting, he felt a familiar discomfort beginning to rise in his stomach.

"Not now..." he growled, rubbing the soreness. It didn't go away and his anger increased. He should have been cured by now! His stomach throbbed, but he ignored it in favor of keeping a constant lookout...and then he heard it...

"Something wrong, friend?"

Joker turned around in a flash, facing the all too familiar voice of the Riddler, "Get lost creep."

"Now, now is that any way to treat an old friend?" Riddler teased, "I see that you've already done me a favor in bringing the girl to the rooftop. It saves me a very large headache."

"How did you get up here?" Joker questioned.

"Why I have many resources, like you Joker. My associates were busy downstairs with the police while I borrowed a military chopper." He pointed with his staff up in the sky.

Joker peered up into the air to see multiple helicopters flying above. He'd figured they were police choppers, so he never gave them much thought. Riddler obviously stole them. Gotham police and their military was full of imbeciles.

"You have many more enemies than I do, friend," Riddler said. He spun around his staff and pointed the curved edge at the clown, "Hand over the girl."

"Not a chance!" Joker yelled and he pointed the rifle at Riddler and began firing several rounds.

Riddler did what he could to dodge the attack, but one bullet grazed his left hip. He managed to dive behind a wall before another would strike him. Temporarily safe, Riddler pressed one of the many buttons on his staff, sending a signal to the choppers above. A storm of bullets began raining down close to Joker's location.

Joker grasped onto Eve and dragged her away from the gunfire. He found a storage unit just on the other side of the roof and he yanked open the door to stuff her inside before running out onto the edge of the rooftop and returning fire to the choppers. His belly was on fire from the toxin and his thigh was torturing him but he pushed through it, running until he reached Riddler's side of the roof. Bullet shells littered the concrete and he almost slipped on a couple. He turned the wall where Riddler had taken cover moments ago, but the bastard disappeared. Joker glanced every which way but he felt a heavy bar strike him in the back. He fell forward, dropping his assault rifle over the edge of the building. Another blow to his shoulder nearly took him out, but Joker forced himself to his feet to stop another swing. He gripped onto the staff and pushed Riddler back. Both fought for dominance of the weapon.

The gunfire had stopped, obviously Riddler's men wouldn't want to hit their leader.

Joker was exhausted from fatigue and his injuries, but kept up his front. He was growling.

Riddler smirked at his opponent, "What's the matter Joker? You look a little down." He pushed hard on the staff, knocking Joker to the ground, "A mile from end to end, yet as close to as a friend. A precious commodity, freely given. Seen on the dead and on the living. Found on the rich, poor, short and tall, but shared among children most of all. What is it?"

Never having been one for riddles, Joker flipped off Riddler and climbed to his feet to charge in again.

"A smile. Where's yours Joker?" Riddler grinned as he swung the staff again, missing.

Joker threw a punch and it connected with Riddler's jaw and sent the man to the ground. Joker now had control of the staff and he lunged forward with a heavy limp and brought the sharp end of the weapon down. Riddler rolled out of the way and kicked his leg out, hitting Joker's seriously injured thigh. Joker screamed in agony and fell to the ground, still having the staff in hand while Riddler ran off to another part of the roof. He couldn't get up just yet and suddenly heard the sound of gunfire again. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to be hit by many rounds, but not a one hit him. His eyes popped back open and he saw the choppers were rushing away. The gunfire was coming from the ground and an assortment of police controlled helicopters. Riddler's men were being overtaken and shot down from the skies. Joker was about to pull himself to his feet to chase down Riddler when a black shape landed before him and he knew exactly who it was.

"I have no time for you Batsy!" Joker yelled.

"Make time Joker," Batman said and he withdrew a batarang and threw it towards the clown.

Even though he was severely clumsy at this point, Joker managed to dodge the batarang. "I'm serious this time Batsy. Don't force me to kill you!"

"Since when are you ever serious Joker?" Batman asked and he leapt towards the crime clown.

Within the storage unit, Eve's eyes were barely open and she was incredibly groggy and hurting. Her skin felt like it was melting off her frame. She couldn't see a thing where she was. In fact she had no idea how she got here. Using the wall as support she pulled herself up and reached around in the darkness for anything resembling a door. Her hand eventually caught onto a latch and she pushed on it, to be greeted by the night sky and thunderous clouds moving in. She found herself only wrapped in thin sheets and panicked. "What the?" she cried and pulled the sheets tightly around her. Her back burned as a result and she screamed before letting them loosen again. She suddenly remembered what had happened in the last few hours. Her medicine was wearing off and all signs of her illness and injuries were coming back. She stepped out into the cold night air and looked around. It was the roof.

She wandered towards the roof's edge and heard a lot of noise from below. There were police everywhere and they were firing their guns. She quickly backed away from the ledge and began shuffling along the side of the building, hoping she wouldn't be hit. "What is going on here?" she mumbled as she stepped out into the open of the rooftop. There was a loud shout and she recognized it to be Joker's voice. Her adrenaline began to pump and she was desperately telling her legs to run, but they wouldn't go. However, there was another voice joining Joker's and she determined it to be the Batman's. She felt a little relief. Batman would take care of Joker for her and then he would help her after Joker is subdued and arrested. Eve stumbled forward, hoping to get Batman's attention. Eventually she could see the pair fighting it out and it looked like Batman was winning.

"Fuck off Batsy!" Joker threatened and swung the staff at his enemy again but Batman was faster and he blocked the swing and caught Joker off guard by sending his foot into the clown's stomach. With so much pain in his belly, Joker lost his grip on the staff and it went flying. Joker was outstretched on the ground and howling. He couldn't get up.

Batman hovered over Joker, "You're going back to-"

"Batman!" a feminine voice called to him.

From the other end of the roof Batman saw Eve's fragile form limping towards them. She looked worse for wear.

"Eve, you need to get back inside the hospital, it's dangerous up here!" Batman shouted.

"I can't find the emergency exit!" she cried, her voice now being overpowered by the thunder.

Joker rolled onto his side and saw that Eve was out in the open. He screeched at her, "What the fuck are you doing out in the open you moron? Why didn't you stay in the storage?"

Eve just stood there, dumbfounded. The Batman was right there, so the rooftop must have been clear of enemies besides Joker. She was safe.

Or so she thought...

A hand suddenly wrapped around her neck and yanked on her. Her body was pulled into a much taller and lankier one.

"Hello my dear," a cool and calm Riddler said and he pressed gently on her throat. His other hand held his reclaimed staff.

"No!" Joker roared and he tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't work.

Batman held his ground, "Riddler, let her go! There's no reason for you to take her as a hostage!"

"Oh but there is," he replied and turned his attention to Eve, "My dear, it's unfortunate that you got yourself mixed up with scum such as him." He pointed the end of his staff at Joker.

Eve tried to talk, but her voice was cut off. She let go of the sheets and grasped his arm, trying to remove it. The cloth fell away from her upper body, revealing the horrific damage to her back.

Riddler saw the extensive damage to her skin, "Oh my, how awful. See what happens when you spend time with the wrong crowd.

"Release her Riddler!" Batman demanded again and he pulled another batarang out of his belt, but the command fell on deaf ears.

"My dear, do you remember what I said to you weeks ago at the asylum?" Riddler asked as he pushed another button on his staff. He pushed Eve's body slightly away from his, but held his tight grip on her.

Eve's brow furrowed with confusion.

A long blade began to extend out of the end of the staff and Riddler stated, "Let me reiterate, 'The maker makes it but doesn't use it…The buyer buys it but doesn't need it...The one who needs it never knows it...' What is it?"

Batman's eyes widened, "No Riddler!" and he took off in a run.

Joker teeth gritted and he forced himself up to try and rush in behind Batman.

But it was too late...

The staff plunged through Eve's chest until it appeared out the back of her. Blood splattered all over the concrete and she released a high pitched scream as Riddler continued to impale her. Her skin was entirely stained a deep red and she coughed up heaping amounts of blood, suggesting extreme lung damage.

Riddler let go of her throat and she fell backwards, her body sliding down the staff as it exited her body the same way it went in. She was sputtering and gasping, trying to fill her lungs with air, but it was futile. "The answer is a coffin," he said.

Enraged, Batman threw several batarangs. Three of them struck their target, crippling Riddler and sending him to his hands and knees. Then a hard punch across his face knocked him out. The staff was kicked away and out of anyone else's reach.

Batman crouched down on the concrete and lifted Eve's shoulders so she was sitting up and he leaned her against his knee. More and more blood seeped out of her mouth. She could not speak, only look up at him. Her eyelids were drooping even though she fought to keep them open. She had tears in her eyes and it looked like she was trying to say something. Then she tried to reach up to his face but her hand fell away gently as she passed. Batman lowered his head in sorrow. He failed her.

Joker collapsed to his knees. He was at a loss. Now there would be no cure for him and he finally fell flat on his stomach, overwhelmed with pain.

To be continued...


	16. Chapter 15

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 15

Languishing

There was an insane amount of shouting and screaming from the East wing of the hospital. Batman and Gordon were patiently waiting outside the Joker's room and speaking with the head doctor.

"I'm afraid we only have one option left," the doctor stated, "The blood sample you brought us from Ivy wasn't enough. Her original human genes interfere with the plant toxin and dilutes the potency. We can't draw a cure from either Ivy or Eve's body. If we try to inject him with more of the plant antibodies, it will do more damage than good. It'd be like injecting a virus."

Gordon crossed his arms, "What's this last option?"

"Ivy became immune to plant toxins when she was exposed to a chemical called 'Chlorogene'. Perhaps we can inject Joker with a small amount of the chemical and see if it can counteract the toxin. As long as he isn't exposed to a high concentration of it, we shouldn't expect him to turn out like Ivy."

Batman nodded, "If it's the only way. I'll retrieve the required amount of chlorogene. How long do we have?"

"I'd give the Joker another two days before his respiratory system shuts down," the doctor replied.

"Then we must work fast," Batman said and he left both Gordon and the doctor to speak by themselves with only one goal in mind. Even though he despised the Joker, he wouldn't allow the clown to suffer a horrific death like Eve.

Even when he's tied down in a hospital room, Joker is placed under heavy guard. The entire hospital was overridden with officers, much like it was two nights ago. Joker was thrashing against his bonds, desperate to rip his arms free and scrunch up into a ball. He struggled to take a breath and didn't like how vulnerable he felt. His stomach twisted and burned and he could feel his lungs constricting and wanted to just finish himself off if it meant getting rid of this pain. He had thrown up so many times that blood started appearing in the mess. His fingers and toes were also going numb and his skin color was turning a sickly pale yellow. He suffered through this for two days now.

The guards outside actually felt somewhat sorry for him...  
Gordon and the doctor waited for hours for Batman to return from Chryogene with a sample of the chemical. Everything was prepared for the intravenous drip but Joker needed to be subdued again in order for the nurses to set it up.

It was quite a chore. Joker was thrashing so hard that it took four security guards, Batman, and one doctor to hold down the clown while a nurse prepared a heavy sedative, Midazolam, and inserted a secondary IV drip in Joker's right arm. The medicine was fast acting and Joker was out in under a minute. The guards were able to let go of his limbs and Batman released his shoulders. Following the freshly inserted needle, Batman provided the nurse with a small phial of plant chlorophyl; the purest form of chlorogene.

"Are you sure this is safe to straight up inject?" she asked.

"This is a trial and error test. We don't have any other choice," Batman replied.

The nurse nodded and she inserted a syringe into the phial and extracted almost the entire dose. Then she placed it into the receiving tube of the IV and watched as the green liquid traveled along the piping and into Joker's forearm. There was no movement from the crime clown as the liquid worked its way through his body.

* * *

Thirty-six hours later...

Nurses were scrambling around Joker's room, doses of pain medications ready for administering but they had a hell of a time getting near the suffering clown. After the head nurse gave him the chologene, Joker remained asleep for four hours, but the calm was short lived and he'd been screaming ever since. Anything he could get his hands on wound up being thrown across the room, including any food the staff brought. Batman stayed close by, assisting in any way that he could but he was mostly assigned holding the Joker down while he was treated. Eventually, the doctors decided it was best to keep him heavily sedated until the chlorogene antibodies began to form.

It was one o'clock in the morning when an alarm sounded. It came from Joker's room. Two nurses and one doctor sprinted inside; knowing that an alarm meant someone had stopped breathing. The doctor placed two fingers on Joker's neck and felt a very faint pulse, "He's going into cardiac arrest!"

At this point, there was nothing Batman could have done and was asked to step out while the doctors worked to bring Joker back. The doctor called for an oxygen bag and injections of epinephrine and a backup defibrillator.

In their minds, the nurses questioned why Commissioner Gordon and Batman would even consider keeping this criminal alive, but they continued to do their jobs. While one began administering the epinephrine, the other began squeezing an oxygen bag, placed over Joker's nose and mouth. After several minutes, Joker's pulse was lost completely.

Very quickly, the nurses had Joker's hospital gown off and the doctor placed two gel covered paddles over the clown's chest; one directly to the left of his heart and the other on his right side, just below the ribcage. The doctor waited for the machine to charge and called, "Clear!" the moment it was ready. Joker's chest convulsed and he fell limply back onto the cot as the machine recharged. A second shock was given before regular chest compressions were attempted. He was given another dose of adrenaline and more oxygen pumped into his lungs.

The doctor pressed on Joker's chest, trying to restart his heart. The monitor on the bedside showed no signs of life. The doctors worked for over ten minutes, but it was futile. Joker could not be resuscitated.

A long white sheet was placed over Joker's body and all machines were disconnected. The news spread quickly and Gordon withdrew all of his officers to return to headquarters. Batman eventually disappeared after inspecting Joker's body. He said nothing as he left the hospital. Then the body was taken to the morgue, located in the basement of the hospital. There was only one other body located inside and it was stored inside of a cooler.

The mortician didn't stay long, as it was time for his lunch break.

The room was still. Equipment was spread out along a table, likely prepared for Joker's autopsy. A solitary flower sat upon the mortician's desk; a tiny potted tulip. It was the only lively hint of color in the room; a vibrant yellow against the dull hues of gray, white, and blue. The flower remained stationary...for a moment. The little flower twitched and slowly turned its direction on its own, very unusual...

A rush of warmth began to spread.

Why is it so dark here?

The tulip literally pulled itself from the confines of its pot, using its root as a pair of legs and slowly walked along the mortician's desk and jumped onto the floor. It traveled along the linoleum until it reached the base of Joker's gurney and began climbing up the legs.

Why was it so blurry now?

It was one of a series of questions that he asked himself as he felt life return to his body. Joker's chest then suddenly rose up and he gasped heavily, sucking in as much air as he could tolerate. Having done so, he choked and coughed. The scent of the morgue was overwhelming to his senses. Then he tried to bolt upright but realized he was trapped inside a cocoon of vinyl. In a panic he clawed at the black bag and tore open a section and peeked out. The room was very dim but still he needed to rub his eyes vigorously. They were very dry and sensitive right now. Tears welled up, assisting in their moisturizing. Joker ripped the hole open even further and sat up, looking around at his surroundings. A morgue...had he died? He pinched his skin, "Ow," he uttered. If he were dead, that wouldn't have hurt and what ever happened to his massive stomach pain? Last thing he remembered was rolling around on a bed, clutching his ailing belly and struggling to take a breath. Doctors kept shoving tubes into him and people piled on top of him to keep him still.

He began overlooking himself and saw that his arms were full of holes from various needles and his lower body was covered in bruises. Then he saw the enormous laceration on his thigh. That's right, Eve had cut open his leg at some point. There were freshly done stitches, different than the ones he'd given himself. The wound was clean but there weren't any bandages around it. He would need to find some. He peered across the room to see a large two way mirror. Everything seemed normal to him; the same clowny complexion.

Then he felt something prodding along his leg. What he saw was nerve wracking. A flower was creeping up his shin, meaning that Poison Ivy must have been nearby. Then he suddenly remembered that she was the reason that he got pulled into the mess.

"I owe her a death sentence..." he growled as he grabbed ahold of the little tulip and squeezed it until it stopped moving. He tossed the dead flower to the floor and carefully swung his legs over the side of the table and slid off. His legs were wobbly so he steadied himself by holding the nearby cabinet. He regained some strength back into his legs, but it was still too soon and he tumbled forward. His hand gripped onto a handle as he fell and he accidentally pulled open a drawer. Only, this was no regular cabinet...

Cool air began spilling out of the drawer.

Joker pulled himself to his feet, able to look into the drawer. There was a black bag inside, much like the one he was trapped in. With sheer curiosity, he unzipped it and sighed. It was Eve.

"Now I remember clearly."

Eve was killed on the hospital roof by the Riddler. He could see part of the wound on her chest from the staff. There was another villain he needed to punish dearly, not out of revenge for the girl, but for denying him his chance at being cured. At this point, would the cure be necessary? Perhaps he was already cured...

Still, the thought of ridding Gotham of the Riddler and Ivy brought a smile back to his face. For now, Joker's first objective was to find some clothes and then he would deal with the two bastards.

His eyes lingered on Eve's face. She looked peaceful, for once. There's never been a time when he saw her this calm. One of his hands wandered over her face to touch her forehead and slid down past her nose before settling on her cold lips. "It was fun while it lasted girly. You were a pretty good fuck, I'll admit that, and you were tougher than I thought. Most women would have begged me for death after I sliced them up and screwed their brains out so many times." Then he ran a finger along her cheek, "Such a shame..." he said sarcastically before closing the drawer and going his way.

He peeked out into the hallway before he set off down the hall. The coast was clear. Obviously everyone would be floors above.

Eventually he found an employees restroom and pushed open the doors. "Ah perfect," he said, happy to see that it was an entire locker room. He started rummaging through lockers and any visible bags lying around until he found a pair of jeans and a long grey t-shirt. The pants were a little large, nothing that a belt couldn't solve and luckily there was one. Then he quickly glanced into a mirror, deciding he was handsome regardless of what he wore and struck a pose. After spending a few moments admiring himself, he heard a gentle tapping. He took refuge in the back of the locker, waiting to see who was inside with him. If he had to, he would kill them.

After minutes of waiting, he could hear someone singing gently as they walked around the area with full sized lockers. It was a woman. So he was in a women's locker room. Then he was amused with himself because he realized he was wearing ladies clothing, oh well. So that's why the hips on these low-rise jeans were so loose. He glanced around the corner of the back room and saw it was one of the hospital staff, someone who worked the front desk most likely since she only wore a pair of khaki pants and simple button down top along with her identification badge. She was fairly young, maybe around twenty-two or so, definitely younger than Eve. He watched this girl carefully and then smiled when he saw her starting to undress. Then his eyes widened as the girl's shirt was removed and revealed an enormous tattoo lining her back. It consisted of an enormous koi fish surrounded by tree vines and assorted lily flowers. He was able to see the top of the tattoo better when the clasp of her bra was undone, but his attention fell away from the picture on her back and to her chest when she turned around to drop her clothes on the bench.

"Oh my..." Joker whispered when he saw that her belly was covered in smaller tattoos. Stars, flowers, and other assorted odds and ends littered her skin. What was weird is that she didn't look like the type of girl to have tattoos. Red hair, pale skin, and a seemingly sweet disposition. Plus she had a cute singing voice, definitely trained by professionals. Still, he didn't think much of her other than having a nice body and wondering if she would love to play the part of a hostage. He waited until she was at her most vulnerable to sneak up on her. She had everything off except a pair of cotton underwear. Then he approached her silently from behind and grasped her around the waist.

The girl screamed but Joker's other hand flew up to her mouth, muffling her, "Don't scream or I'll break your neck!"

The girl sniffled and attempted to kick her legs out.

"That also includes struggling!" Joker barked at her and then grinned once he felt her body go slack. "You're going to assist me in getting out of here."

She shook her head profusely and tears started to drip down her cheeks and over Joker's fingers.

"Now, now sweetheart, it doesn't have to be a chore. No tears, I've had enough of those over the last month."

She couldn't help it, they just kept falling. Her hands hooked onto Joker's arm and she halfheartedly tugged on it, hoping he would let go.

He pushed her forward towards the showers and shoved her into a stall to begin feeding her instructions, however he was interrupted when he felt prodding on the top of his foot. When he looked down, he saw yet another flower trying to climb up his leg. "What the...?" he groaned and kicked away the tiny rose. Ivy must have been closer than he thought. Her annoying plant powers always rubbed him the wrong way. He refocused on the girl, "Now then, as I was saying, I want you to-" but yet again something was wrapping around his leg this time. An entire vine creeped around his calf and he tried to kick it away, "What the fuck? I'm gonna kill that bitch nice and slow!" However the vine was different from a teeny little flower and continued snaking upwards until it reached his waist. Now Joker was pulling the vine with his hands and this was the chance the girl needed.

She pushed him back as hard as she could and slid past him in a run.

Joker tumbled to the ground, the large vine enclosing his entire lower body. The girl was getting away and she would grab the attention of hospital staff and security, "Dammit!" he cursed and reached out towards the running girl.

The door was so close and the girl was excited to be so very close to freedom, but she was halted in her tracks when she felt something wrapping around both of her legs and tripping her. She was surprised to find a very thick vine winding around her lower body and inching its way up her torso. Then the vine started dragging her back towards her captor.

Joker was astonished when the vines attacked the girl and brought her back. It was the very same vine that tried to do the same to him. But now his legs were free and he got to his feet, watching silently as the plant dragged her body back to him. Why did the plants stop attacking him and go for her? The vines lifted the girl into the air and she was now floating before him, her entire body immobile and her mouth was covered by multiple leaves. The plant seemed to be waiting for something...

The girl struggled against the vines, which grew tighter with every ounce of movement. Then Joker reached out to touch one of the vines, curious to see what it would do. The thick green rope fell away from one of the girl's legs as his hand neared it.

Taking the opportunity given, the girl kicked at him, her knee connecting with his stomach. His reaction time was still a little slow and he yelped out loud. His face was only inches away from hers when a deep green cloud burst from his mouth and spread around her, filling her nostrils and seeping into her eyes.

Joker regained his composure, "Oh you're gonna pay dearly for that one sweetheart," he threatened. His teeth gritted and he held his stomach, rubbing it away the ache. However he noticed that his threat entirely unnoticed. The girl was staring off into space, like he'd never even spoke to her. He waved a hand in her face, her eyes unflinching and it irritated him. What was wrong with her? "Pay attention to me!" he shouted.

The vines fell away from her mouth, "Yes..." she uttered, not a trace of fear lingering in her voice anymore. Her head tilted forward and she gave him her full attention.

He had no idea how to respond. Victims never willingly did this and he rather enjoyed the fight they would typically put up. Still, she wasn't screaming for help which was a plus. Maybe he would be able to get information out of this one. "Do you have access to any of my files?"

"Yes," she replied obediently.

His brows rose up. He couldn't detect any lying from her. Perhaps it had something to do with that green shit he spewed in her face, "What do you know of my case?"

She blinked, "A heavy dose of toxin had been introduced into your body by means of physical contact by Eve Raffaello. Your constant exposure to her-"

"I know that already! Tell me what happened while I was hospitalized the last few days!"

"Doctors attempted to eradicate the poisons from your body by administering a sample of the chemically engineered chlorogene, manufactured by Chryogene. It was anticipated that your body would be able to absorb all traces of the fatal toxin rather than temporarily alleviate symptoms. When you were injected, you fell into an unconscious state for thirty-six hours and eventually moved into cardiac arrest. Doctors spent almost thirty minutes trying to revive you, but failed. Your body was tested and placed into the morgue for autopsy which was scheduled for tomorrow."

Well that explained a great deal.

Joker thought it over for a moment, "So, was chlorogene a contributing factor in Poison Ivy's superhuman powers?"

"According to our files, yes."

Everything fit together now. Joker was injected with the same chemical that doused Ivy years ago. So all of the flowers clinging to him, the vines following him, and the green mist...it was all his doing! Ivy was nowhere near the facility. Joker grinned, "Oh this could get real interesting..." He then scratched his chin, "So sweetheart, since you already know so much about me. Would you like to be my first test subject?"

Almost too obligingly, she replied, "Yes."

"Mind control spores, never leave home without them!" Joker laughed.

To test out his new abilities, he thought of how Ivy would fight and move around. He lifted one of his hands and thought about the vine wrapped around the girl's body, as if telling it to let go. The vine unraveled itself, leaving all but the girl's wrists exposed.

"Come closer sweetheart," Joker requested and outstretched his arms.

The vines were slack enough to allow her freedom of movement and she stepped right into his embrace. It was as though she was able to read his mind as well, because she tilted her face upwards towards his and he was the one to connect their lips. He encouraged her into an open mouth kiss and breathed heavily, sending a great deal more of his spores into her system. Then he quickly broke off the kiss, satisfied that she would remain under his control for a long period. He grew a little arrogant and decided the escape could wait a short while since everyone thought he was dead. The vines then lifted her left hand until it was eye level with him. There was a small diamond band encircling her ring finger, "Married?" he asked.

"Engaged," she said.

"Slept with the guy yet?"

"No."

"Are you a religious fanatic? Have a no sex policy until there's a contract?"

She didn't respond immediately. Joker could tell she was struggling to remain silent but her lips won the battle, "Yes."

He chuckled, "Nice...meaning you are completely fresh and unused. Your wedding night is going to suck unless he has some experience. Does he?"

"I don't know."

"How sad for you."

The vine tugged harshly on her wrists, forcing them high into the air until her feet barely touched the cement. Her back rested against the wall, just under the shower head. Joker closed the gap between them, slowly removing his shirt and tossing it outside the stall. He then took off his jeans, "Ever see one of these before?" he blurted out, his hand now gripping onto his growing length, making sure she could see it.

"Yes."

"Oh! So you have been a naughty girl! The good girl act doesn't really suit you. Does your family even know about your tattoos?"

"They don't."

"So why do you have them?"

"I like them, I think they're beautiful."

Joker's hands wandered up to her waist and he started caressing her skin, making her shudder. Then he gripped onto her panties and slipped them off. A set of vines wrapped around her thighs and lifted up her legs for his viewing pleasure. He knelt down so his face was parallel to her labia, "Well you sure do look untouched, but Mr. J can remedy that. I think I wanna make sure my body is in full working order, wanna help?" He then touched her outer folds, feeling their smooth silkiness and contours before sliding his smallest finger into her body, "Holy shit that's tight, I don't think I'll be able to get in there! But I sure as hell will try!" He stood back up, not removing his finger from her center. He slowly pumped it in and out of her and it got slightly easier and easier each time. "Are you enjoying this?"

Even though she wasn't able to control her mind, her emotions were a different story and tears spilled down her cheeks, "Yes."

When he was satisfied that she was soaked enough, Joker reached behind the girl and grasped the shower faucet, turning on the water. A warm spray rained down on the two of them. Joker then hoisted up her thighs, placing them around his waist, "So sweetheart, what's your name?"

"Sera."

"How lovely. So Sera, I heard you singing beautifully when you entered the locker room. Are you classically trained? Tell Mr. J about it." he asked as he lined up his throbbing penis with her warm center.

Sera could feel his tip rubbing against her nether lips, waiting for entry and she couldn't help but answer him, "I've been choir for over twelve years. I took opera lessons in college and trained under a private tutor. I learned to read music with my mother, a pianist," she said softly. Her labia was beginning to feel stretched and started to ache.

"Is that so? Well, how about shooting off a few notes?" Joker whispered.

It was second nature to her and she started out lightly, singing an excerpt from 'The Phantom of the Opera', a song called 'Think of Me.'

_'Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade_  
_They have their seasons, so do we _  
_But please promise me that sometimes _  
_You will think of me'_

He wasn't a fan of this sort of music, but it kept her distracted from what would come next. While she talked about her musical background, Joker was slowly easing himself inside her vagina. It was hard as hell and it got even more difficult when he was met with a barrier. Now that she was singing, he was ready to do the dastardly deed and forced himself in the rest of the way, causing her final note to become a desperate cry for pain relief. Even more tears fell down her cheeks as Joker attempted to slide back out. It was extremely tight, "Fuck sweetheart, you are suffocating me!" he said and just barely managed to slide back out of her body. He looked down at his blood streaked cock, "Congratulations, you have successfully transitioned to womanhood!" he cheered at her, "Your fiancee will be proud..."

Inside, she was ashamed. Her face did not reflect this notion and it took on another painful expression as Joker reinserted his thick penis into her. It was much easier to slide in this time.

"Awe sweetheart, don't be like that! This is a happy moment for you!" he said, "Aren't you glad?"

The effects of the spores must have been wearing off because she was no longer responding to him. Joker exhaled and sent a fresh wave of spores in her face and even planted a heated kiss on her mouth, ensuring she ingested more of the green mist. When she was under his control again he picked up his pace and enjoyed her constricting walls. They squeezed and milked him; her luscious contours sent his emotions into a frenzy. Her intense heat wouldn't allow for him to last very long.

He did try to talk with her some more, but he only managed to get a few moans from her so he discontinued in favor of sliding his hand between them and putting as much pressure on her clitoris as possible. He vigorously rubbed it until she cried out. Her spasms were delightful and her walls convulsed around him, viciously squashing him.

It was so amazing and he could no longer hold back. His orgasm rocked his body and he swore he shot a larger load than he would normally, having some weird suspicion his chemically modified body had something to do with it. He relaxed into the girl, allowing the water to run over his back. It felt very good.

"That wasn't so bad, was it sweetheart?"

"No."

He slid out of her body and enjoyed the warm water running down his belly, washing away all traces of the fling, "Now I'm certain everything is back to normal. Anyways, I still require your assistance. Tell me Sera, what is the easiest way out of the hospital? Is there an emergency exit nearby?"

"Yes. Two halls down towards the north end."

"How about alarms?"

"Alarms are activated, but as long as there is no fire, security will turn them and do a sweep of every floor."

Joker ran his fingers through his wet hair a few times before shutting off the water and squeezing the excess from his locks. Afterwards, he allowed for the vines to release her legs, but kept her hands tied and over her head. "Well then sweetheart, I've gotten everything I wanted from you, so let me leave you with a parting gift." Joker then leaned in and gave her another gentle kiss on the mouth before backing away and striking her across the face with his fist, knocking her unconscious, "Twisted dreams my lovely."

Afterwards, Joker collected his clothes and dressed himself before sneaking out into the hall, careful not to attract anyone's attention and avoiding any visible cameras. Sera was right, there was a door at the end of the north wing and he quickly pushed it open, ignoring the alarm and taking off in the night.

His new abilities were going to come in very handy this coming week. The target was the two responsible for his near death and both currently resided in Arkham Asylum.

It was a very long walk from the hospital to the asylum and he had to stop for the remainder of the night. He broke into someone's house, very quietly and immediately raided the refrigerator. It was pretty well stocked and he took out some of the cold cuts and a tupperware filled with mixed fruit. He gobbled all of it down. His stomach thanked him. Then he must have chugged down a quarter gallon of milk. Satisfied, he prodded through the house in search of other clothing. He managed to locate a laundry room and a basket of freshly folded clothes. He dug through it and pulled out several pairs of jeans until he found a pair that fit him. He was so slim from the last two months of being violently ill, that he was capable of wearing a teenage boy's pants. He found a pale blue muscle shirt and slipped it on. These were a much better fit for him.

After an hour, he left the house. No one heard him so it was a clean getaway.

He followed the city streets to the west until he saw signs for the asylum. He grinned knowing that he was only hours away from facing off with his adversaries.

_To be continued..._


	17. Intermission

Your Cell is Ready

Intermission

Act of Vengeance

The asylum was dark. All of the patients were either asleep or quietly keeping to themselves in the recreation room. It was quite easy to sneak into the asylum through the ventilation system, which is exactly what Joker was doing. The orderlies were completing their rounds before ushering all of the inmates back to their cells. Then security took over pacing the halls as all the doctors went home for the night. This was good. None of the security were trained in medicines and it would be hard to stop Joker without sedatives if he were to be caught. He didn't plan to get caught though...

Joker kept a steady crawling pace, occasionally stopping to peek through vents and see what inmate inhabited each cell. It took several hours to check the entire first floor and he eventually found one of his targets. The Riddler. It took all of his willpower not to rip away the vent cover and fall into the cell to strangle Riddler himself. Instead, he had a plan that would save him some precious time rather than spend the entire day searching for Ivy. Joker held out his hand and focused. A set of vines took several minutes to appear inside the vent shaft and he instructed them to slither down into the cell. Joker grinned as the vines dangled over Riddler's head and he watched the man pace around the room, before having the vines strike. The green ropes wrapped a surprised Riddler around the neck and lifted him until his feet were over a foot off the floor. Joker grinned menacingly as he held his enemy tightly, enjoying the struggles and gasps for breath. This was ridiculously easy and Joker almost felt sorry for the man.

Riddler was gripping the vines, trying to loosen them but his arms were growing weak and his face was begin to discolor. Another minute or so and he would be dead.

When the vines stopped jerking, Joker knew the Riddler fell unconscious and soon enough he would be dead. He left the vines as they were, holding up Riddler in the air. Now all Joker had to do was wait and figured now was a great time to get some sleep.

It was early morning...

There was a shout from below and it startled Joker awake. One of the orderlies sent to fetch Riddler for breakfast discovered the body and they were now sounding an alarm. An entire group of security and doctors came running to investigate.

Joker listened very carefully to the exchange below.

"It's obvious who killed him. Look at the vines!"  
"Doctor, should we attempt resuscitation?"

"No, he's been gone for hours by the looks of it."

"We need to contact Gordon and the police. Ivy will need to be moved into solitary confinement so she doesn't kill anyone else."

That was exactly what Joker wanted to hear. He smiled and continued listening to the conversation as the orderlies cut down Riddler's body from the vines. They carried him out of his cell.

When all was quiet, Joker moved along the vent. He would need to travel up three floors to reach solitary confinement. It would be a while, but he was a patient man.

* * *

The hospital staff were up in arms. Joker's body was missing and word spread quickly to the police. Canine cadaver units were sent out into the city and the Batman had been notified. The city did not panic since everyone was notified by the press that Joker was dead. It was a mystery to them all.

Another problem arose when the girl in the women's locker room had been discovered, bleeding and unconscious. She happened to claim otherwise when she came out of her unconscious state...

"Joker is not dead!" she screamed throughout her exam.

It wasn't until she was tested that some people believed her, the Batman in particular. However, instead of sending out word of Sera's condition and that Joker might possibly be on the prowl once again. Gordon decided to keep the entire situation a secret until they could confirm Joker's whereabouts. It was a half-hearted search. The police didn't want to believe that Joker survived this. Most believed his body was cremated and that the girl was crazy. Her test results were kept in confidence...

Sera leaned back into her bed, her wrists were bandaged and half of her face was black and yellow with bruising. She barely touched the tray of food next to her. Since no one believed her, she kept to herself and refused to talk to her colleagues who cared for her.

Now, she awaited the arrival of her family and fiancee. Perhaps they would be more supportive.

* * *

The crawl space was a bit smaller, but it didn't stop Joker. He squeezed through every vent until he reached the wing for solitary. Then he checked every cell, but there was no sign of Ivy yet. The orderlies were obviously taking every precaution.

Within the hour he heard struggling.

"I didn't kill him you bastards!" shouted a woman's voice.

Joker rolled over from his relaxed position to peer down into the cell.

"Let go of me!" Ivy screamed.

"Vines were found with the body. There's only one person in the world capable of manipulating plants," Dr. Strange had said, "You will remain in solitary confinement until you are officially charged with your crime and then the police will decide how to deal with you." Strange then turned to the orderlies, "Give her a heavy dose of Zuclopenthixol."

"Isn't that medicine illegal?" one orderly asked.

"Yes..." Dr. Strange replied, not a hint of emotion in his voice, "Follow it up with midazolam."

The orderlies glanced at each other but would do as they were told.

The entire episode made Joker giggle. He watched as Ivy tried to fight off several orderlies and doctors holding needles filled with the relaxant. They couldn't get near her with those vines and plants whipping around her. She'd had more than she could take and didn't care if more offenses were added to her list of crimes. Arkham or not, she wasn't going to be blamed for Riddler. That's when the big guns arrived and Doctor Strange ordered for the men to shoot her. The guns of course were nothing more than dart guns and several were fired, sending many needles into the air. Two of the syringes hit their mark, loading Ivy's bloodstream with the fast acting midazolam and she slowly stumbled, her vines and plants collapsed to the ground in heaps. Two orderlies caught her and she was finally given the Zuclopenthixol, which would take two days to work.

"Set her up with intravenous fluids and keep the midazolam dosage at half a milligram so she doesn't go into respiratory arrest," Strange said.

Joker's ears perked up, "Hm..." He had been debating on how to kill Ivy and he may have his opportunity now. He waited for another hour until the doctors and orderlies stopped coming in before slowly lifting the vent cover and squeezing through. He dropped down into the cell with a soft plop. Ivy didn't budge from her reclined position. Her eyes were wide open and she was staring at the ceiling, aware, but unable to move.

"So...enjoying your time in solitary?" Joker questioned.

Ivy didn't reply, but her eyes slowly wandered to her right to look at him. The most she could manage was a low groan and her fingers twitched slightly.

Joker felt a tugging on his leg and he peered down to see a small vine wrapping around his calf. He chuckled knowing it wasn't one of his and the fact that it was so weak.

"Don't even go there," he said and kicked away the little vine.

A solitary tear trickled from Ivy's right eye and she sighed.

"That's right deary," Joker began, "Trying to kill me was your greatest mistake. Your toxin was the closest to death I've ever been and I don't plan on forgiving you. You get no points though because you sent in a subordinate to do your dirty work and dirty did she get!" he laughed, "In fact, she's dead!"

Ivy tried to scream for help, but Joker covered up her mouth. An orderly passed by outside; they didn't even look into the cell.

He released her mouth and sat down on the cot next to her, "Eve was a good pawn. You used her to deliver the poison...and I just plain used her! Hah!" He rose his hand up, "There's one more thing."

A large plant emerged through the cement flooring and wrapped itself around Joker's torso, waiting for instruction. Ivy's eyes widened and she gasped when she wasn't able to gain control of the plant. Joker hovered over Ivy until his mouth was centimeters from her ear, "I thought you should know that I've been cured and upgraded. That chlorogene is potent stuff!" He directed the vine to slowly wrap around her neck while he began messing with her iv. He increased the dosage, "This should do it," he said cheerfully and let go of the tube.

Ivy moaned and grumbled as the vine grew tighter, but it was at a very slow pace. Joker's intention was to kill her very slowly.

"I'll make you suffer the same way I did. Asphyxiation is not the prettiest way to die." He smiled at her and cruelly stated, "Just ask the Riddler."

She growled at him but felt the vine tugging on her throat. It jerked every time she tried to talk.

He sat on the cot for the next thirty minutes, watching the vine tighten every two minutes. Eventually the increase in medicine would put her out. Her face flushed and lips began to turn purple. Blood seeped from her mouth and eyes as her air supply was cut off. She couldn't feel her fingertips.

Joker just sat there, enjoying every second of her very painful death. He laughed when she sputtered up even more blood, "Feels horrible doesn't it?"

Ivy never heard his last sentence. She had fallen comatose from lack of oxygen and her chest stopped rising and falling. Her pale green skin was turning a dull gray and grew cold to the touch. Joker ran his hand over her fingers and lifted her wrist. He pushed two fingers into her skin and found the pulse to be very weak, "Almost there. I'd say another five minutes and you'll be gone." He made a fist with his other hand, signaling the vine to finish the job. It tightened and found himself satisfied when her pulse ceased. He stayed for another twenty minutes to be sure she was dead and eventually climbed back up to the vent. He left the vine around her neck as 'evidence' and readjusted the drip to a half mil. He was set to leave the asylum and traveled the same way he got in.

Before he managed to get out of solitary, there was another shout.

"They discovered the body," Joker whispered cheerfully and continued to crawl through the vent shaft. It was easy as hell to get out of the asylum at this point. All security were sent to solitary save for a few here and there. The grounds outside were empty, due to rain of course. It seemed all it did was rain this month.

A very relieved and excited Joker took off into the streets of Gotham. He had a fresh start. Everyone believed he was dead. He saw the news in a local cafe. That girl he played with in the locker room was featured, but the authorities stated that she was viciously attacked by another hospital patient and not himself. He laughed, so the world thought this poor girl was crazy. There was also a report covering the Riddler and Poison Ivy. Apparently it was a murder-suicide without a known motive. Both victims were found with vines wrapped around their necks.

It was a long night and Joker finally managed to make it to one of his long abandoned hideouts. There he found plenty of his old toys and even his ratty couch survived years of neglect. He plopped down on the lumpy sofa and stretched out, exhausted after days of killing and running. How good it felt to come out on top. With many happy thoughts, Joker slept well that night.

* * *

The hospital's head doctor rushed down to the morgue, followed by several security guards. The mortician was in a panic.

The head doctor questioned, "What is going on?" he asked, waiting impatiently for the mortician to reply.

"Eve's body is gone."

"What do you mean, gone? It didn't just get up and walk away! First Joker's body and now this?" The head doctor knew the truth about Joker but was under oath to refrain from speaking about the clown to avoid city panic. He needed to come up with something fast, "I can only assume we have a grave robber on our hands. Why they would take a body, I don't know."

"Sir, Eve and Joker's body were infused with plant toxins. Perhaps the thief was interested in the chemicals?" the mortician said, "They are the most deadly toxins in the world currently."  
"Perhaps," the doctor thought, "Notify the police and send the remaining samples of toxin to them for disposal. We can't risk anyone else getting their hands on them."

* * *

Two days later. The other side of the world...

Her skin burned and organs were screaming as they rejuvenated themselves. Flesh was repaired and the hole in her chest closed. Life rushed back into her body yet she still felt as though she was suffocating. Liquid poured down her throat and filled her belly, relieving her of the pain. When her body was whole again, she floated to the surface and her eyes slowly opened. She was greeted with a masculine face. Then the face rose up and a set of hands slipped underneath her, lifting her out of the liquid. She coughed a sputtered out mouthfuls of fluid.

"Please take it easy. The fluid will come out of its own accord," said the man. His voice was calm and very stoic.

Finally able to speak, "W-where am I?" she croaked.

"Australia."

"How-"

"I brought you here."

"But, how did-"

"You have many questions and I will kindly answer them all. You must rest child. The lazarus pit is a very exhausting process and your body is weak."

"Lazarus pit? What is that?" she asked.

"See for yourself," he replied and turned back around so she could view the glowing green substance within a tide pool.

After viewing the pit, the girl shuddered but she wanted more information, "Who're you?"

"My name is Ra's Al Ghul and I was the first to make use of the lazarus pit. I am many centuries old and have become accustomed to using these pits multiple times."

"Oh. Why did you put me in the pit?"

Ghul placed the girl down onto her feet and assisted her with her balance before stepping away to peer into the pit again, "Because you carry the world's most deadliest toxin. I wish to obtain a specimen and replicate its toxicity."

"What for?"

"I am the leader of the League of Shadows. We cleanse the world of the unjust. I take in those who have lead very difficult lives and give them purpose once again. I have followed your story for weeks now and the moment I found that you had passed, I knew I needed to obtain you. I had no use for a dormant toxin. Rejuvenating you will allow me to collect living plant cells. Of course, in exchange for your cooperation, I wish to offer you a place among the League of Shadows where you will participate in rigorous training and mental exercises to obtain inner peace. It is rare that I invite a woman, but you've already proven your worth by surviving the lazarus pit with no ill affects. Will you join us?" Ghul extended his hand to her.

She felt as though she owed him everything; her life for one thing...and her allegiance. Memories were slowly flooding back to her beginning with day one in Arkham all the way up to her death by Riddler's hand. Most of all, she remembered how she was tortured by that despicable clown. They destroyed her life. No...the police wrecked her first! They brought her to Arkham under false pretenses! They needed to pay! She was wrongly accused of a crime she didn't commit! Gotham was at fault! Her teeth clenched and her hands balled into fists. She would get even with all of them!

Ghul stood there, awaiting her answer with great patience. He saw that her entire life was flashing before her and she suddenly looked up at him. Her stance had changed, she never even noticed that she was nude. It didn't matter. Then her posture changed as she knelt down to the ground and bowed her head to him.

"I gladly accept your offer to train under the league of shadows in exchange for the toxin residing in my body. I am yours to command," she said.

Ghul approached her and reached for her chin, tilting her face upwards, "And what may I call my newest disciple?"

She thought hard about the last few years. Her name was given to her by those traitors and murderers! She refused to be known as Eve once again! Her distaste for her given name was forgotten. She took hold of Ghul's hand and sternly replied, "You may refer to me as Noel."

Ghul smiled, "Very well."

To be continued...


	18. Chapter 16

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 16

Time Lapse

Six years later...

Gotham was enjoying a period of calm. Super villains slowed down their torment on the city so the crime rate fell a hefty forty percent. New residents moved into the city, bringing the population back up and jobs were more desirable. Some people visited just for a glimpse of the Batman, whom hasn't been seen very much these days. The police were able to handle the petty criminals and the streets at night were safer. These days, theatre and performance arts spread throughout the city. There wasn't anymore fear and it was glorious.

Tonight, Gotham's city opera house was holding two performances of 'Cats', a popular musical. It was already the last show of the night and performers were scrambling to their places after the intermission.

"Sera! Hurray up, you'll miss your cue!"

"I'm coming, just need to fix my wig!" Sera called back to the stage manager. She peered into her dressing mirror and adjusted her ears before running back to stage right. The music was already playing up and she just made it back in time to begin the second half of the show. It was a huge hit in Gotham and they had a full house. Even the great Bruce Wayne showed up for the show. It was widely known that Mr. Wayne had a terrible habit of falling asleep during these shows so Sera performed her best.

The last few years there had been a number of changes in Sera's life. Number one was the fact that she was accepted into Gotham theatre as a regular performance artist. She preferred this life over being a nurse's aid. 'Cats' was her very first show and she had been cast as 'Demeter' for the last two years. It wasn't a leading role, but one of many secondary leads was good enough for her. She particularly enjoyed this role because she played one of the more promiscuous cats. After the show, the cast took their bows to the approval of a thunderous audience. Even Wayne appeared to enjoy it.

Sera excitedly ran back to the dressing room with her lady friends and cast mates. A bottle of champagne awaited them.

"Oh did you see the look on Wayne's face?" one girl dressed in all white leotard called out, "He actually seemed shocked!"  
"I know right?" Sera said, "It's like he was thinking, 'Oh my god the show was actually good!'" she chuckled and began removing her wig and unzipping her leotard.

"Three cheers to us for impressing the incredibly debonair Mr. Wayne!" another girl said.

A glass of champagne was pushed into Sera's hand and the girls had a toast. Their glasses clinked together and they all downed a full glass each before pouring themselves some more.

Sera cheered with the other girls for a little bit until they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"We're decent!" the girls shouted in unison.

The door cracked open and a man's head popped in. It was the stage manager Charlie, "Sera, is this yours?" he asked, mildly annoyed and he pushed a young child in the room. It was a little boy with light brown hair and green eyes. He was a little skinny thing at five years old. "You better find a new sitter for showtime girl. I can't take sitting on anymore jacks! My ass is a pincushion!"

The ladies all laughed and the little boy ran across the room to his mother's waiting arms. Sera scooped up the little boy, "Gabe, you know better than to torment my boss."

Sera's closest friend and stage partner, Trisha approached and ruffled the little boy's hair, "You're gonna get us all fired one day little man!" she laughed. Trisha was a little more experienced in theatre and played mentor to Sera. It was wonderful that they were partnered together in the show, Trisha played Demeter's best friend 'Bombalurina'. "So you up for a drink tonight?" Trisha asked.

"Not tonight, I need to get Gabriel home. It's way past his bed time," Sera replied, turning down the offer. She put down Gabe and held his hand, "Besides, we need to go shopping tomorrow morning for someone's big day this weekend."

"What, what?" Gabe shouted excitedly.

"Oh...I don't know, some one is having a birthday, but I can't seem to remember whose's it is," Sera teased.

"Mine, mine!" Gabe cried out.

"No, I don't think his name is Gabe..."

"Yes it is mommy!"

Trisha laughed, "Sera, you dork, stop teasing him! Oh! That reminds me, I'd better get this off my hands before I forget."

Gabe started jumping up and down when Trisha removed a large present from under her vanity and the little bounced over to grab the gift. He tore away the bright red paper and screeched when the present was revealed to be a train set.

"Yay!" Gabe squealed and he tried to open the box.

"What do we say Gabe?" Sera reminded.

"Thank you!" Gabe said and he grasped Trisha around the waist in a hug. He then returned to the box, attempting to rip it open.

"Gabe we'll open that tomorrow. Right now, we need to go home. It's way past bedtime."

"But mommy..." Gabe whined and he stared at the set, sniffling.

"No whining. It's time to go," she said as she finished getting her shoes on. Then she grabbed her purse and picked up the toy, "C'mon, let's go. Thank you Trisha. He'll be playing with that for the rest of his life."

"Your welcome," Trisha smiled, "I'll see you both at the party this weekend. Moira is looking forward to it."

"Tell Moira that Gabe cannot wait to play with her Saturday."

"I will." Trisha waved goodbye as did the rest of the ladies.

Sera and Gabe headed out the back door of the theatre, along with a security escort until they reached her car. Sera deposited the toy into the backseat of the red Prius and Gabe climbed in with it. "Buckle up."

"I know," he replied blandly.

Sera started the car once she heard his seatbelt click and the two of them headed home.

* * *

It had been a very long time since he'd pulled any big scores. Joker just arrived back to his underground warehouse with an armful of spoils and a knapsack filled with cash. He dropped it all on the floor and plopped down at his table, propping his feet up on another chair. He hadn't been very active in the last few years. Technically he was 'dead' and wanted to play the part well until he decided to make his debut once again. Being free of Arkham for six years was a pleasure. He didn't miss it. He grabbed the knapsack off the floor and dug around the cash for a newspaper. He had to wonder what was going on in the city.

His current location was an old bunker from the nineteen-fifties, left abandoned after the world wars. He fixed up some of the plumbing and added a stolen generator for power. He was limited in the number of appliances to keep, so he narrowed it down to a mini-fridge and a microwave.

He skimmed through the newspaper, completely bypassing the front page and heading straight for the comics and then the entertainment section. There just wasn't anything worthy of his interest on the front page these days, not since he stopped making headlines. The comics gave him a good laugh, especially the re-run of Calvin and Hobbes, one of his favorites. He'd read them all so many times, but he knew Spaceman Spiff would never fail to deliver. Eventually he moved on to the latest films released in theaters and on dvd. The Avengers came out this past Tuesday. Everyone was scrambling to get a copy of that.

"Hm...Resident Evil: Retribution..." he read aloud. It had been a while since he saw a good slasher flick. He particularly enjoyed zombie movies. He may have to sneak into this one.

He turned the page and frowned. It was only the performing arts page and it featured Gotham's latest show, Cats. He had a serious distaste for cats and mentioned that fact to another one of his adversaries in the past. He glimpsed over the photos of the actors. The show's lead character stood center stage while she was surrounded by more colorful cats. Below was an article reading of the cast names. Camilla Barton, Ryan Rochete, Melinda Bastion, Sera Johnston, Christian Baker, wait a second...Sera Johnston?

He knew a Sera at one point and he began analyzing the picture, but the character makeup made the actors almost impossible to identify. He studied the females carefully. It would be interesting if this Sera was the same nurse from the hospital which he attacked. He gave up on the image and turned the page. There was an extension of the article and more pictures to follow. It was a cast party image after the show's opening night. The actors were holding glasses of wine and pamphlets advertising the musical. He studied the face of each actor until his eyes settled on one particular redhead. Joker smiled, his intuition was correct, that girl was the young nurse's aid he 'entertained' for an hour in the locker room. He read the name below the photo, Sera Johnston, twenty-seven years old.

"Well, well...little innocent Sera. Looks like my 'special treatment' only bruised your ego rather than traumatize you. I may have to change that," he muttered. There has never been a time where he tortured a poor soul and they came out of the incident unscathed. He wouldn't allow his record to be broken. He turned to the previous page to look at showtimes for Cats. There would be a double showing on Friday night this week. He planned to attend the nine p.m viewing. "Let's see how your acting skills fare sweetheart."

* * *

It was show time and Sera was applying her makeup. Gabe was running around the dressing room, playing with one of the trains Trisha gave him. Charlie was annoyed that he was trapped babysitting again but in a sense, he was happy to do it.

"Ten minutes people!" Charlie screamed so all actors could hear.

"Trisha, have you seen my black liner, I need to finish my lips!" Sera cried, panicking.

"Just borrow mine, we don't have time to search," Trisha replied, handing her liner to Sera, "Better hurry."

Sera quickly traced her mouth in black oil pencil and filled in her lips with red. Her makeup was finished and she adjusted her ears before she and Trisha rushed to stage left. The orchestra was playing the opening number and now Sera waited for her cue. She was the first cat to appear on stage, fearing a light and rushing for a pipe. Then she waited for other cat appearances before they began to break out in song. Her first singing line was 'Can you see in the dark?'. From there, they danced and performed like every other night of the show.

What Sera didn't know was that a familiar set of eyes was watching her from the audience on the second balcony. Joker was dressed in a black suit with a brimmed hat. It was dark inside the theatre so he was able to sneak in without anyone noticing and luckily it wasn't a full house tonight so he grabbed a seat on the far end of the balcony. The first half of the show, he had a tough time figuring out which cat Sera played. The damn actors all looked the same. He remained seated during the intermission and finally a portion of the way through the second act, he finally pinpointed her. During a particular song called 'Macavity', his attention was grabbed when two ladies lead the other girl cats into song. He identified the black and gold striped cat to be Sera and he remembered her voice. It was much stronger now and rich in tone, definitely contralto and she appeared to have more training. He also liked how she and the other girls were dancing, a bit on the provocative side but suitable still for a young audience. The skin tight leotards made it difficult for him to keep dirty thoughts from entering his head. He licked his lips. Its been a long time since he felt the closeness of a woman. He wondered if Sera was still a good sport.

After the show ended and the cast took their bows, Joker slipped out of the crowd and into the upper levels of the foyer. He watched the audience leave and waited for the opportunity to sneak backstage. He remained out of sight and listened to the actors chit chat about the show and what they planned to do when they went home. Then he heard Sera's voice from within the ladies dressing room.

"Gabe, stop that!"

Gabe? Who was that? Another man? Joker's eyes narrowed as he remembered that this girl was engaged when he met her in the locker room. Gabe must be her husband. He continued to listen.

"Alright girls, I'll see you all for Monday's show."

Joker stepped into the dark hallways, making sure he was out of sight as Sera passed by. He saw that she was carrying a young child. The little boy was asleep on her shoulder. So she did manage to carry on a relationship and have a kid. Joker was a little bit disappointed, but that won't stop him. He'll twist her mind and then her husband's neck. Her kid will be traumatized by the sheer sight of it. He chuckled and began following her out of the theatre, watching her every step. She owned a red Prius. He glanced at her license plate, memorizing it instantly. Those custom plates made it far too easy.

She never even knew that she was followed to her vehicle. Gabe stayed asleep and she put him in the front seat of the car and strapped him in before climbing in herself. The trip home was quiet and uneventful. The streets of Gotham were still as everyone was indoors. She arrived home within thirty minutes and carried her son up to the second floor of the apartment complex.

Her home was very elegantly decorated. Splashes of burgundy and gold gave the living room a warm glow. Her furniture was mostly antique except for the little bean bag in the corner for Gabe. He insisted last Christmas. She carried Gabe to his bedroom. Toys were scattered all over the floor. Train sets were laid out and his bedspread was a mess. Sera rolled her eyes, she would make Gabe clean his room tomorrow before the birthday party. She quickly changed him into his pajamas and woke him momentarily to brush his teeth before putting him down.

She was tired from dancing all night and it was time for her nightly cup of tea. She stepped into the kitchen and fetched a teacup and saucer from her cabinet and a bag of cinnamon spiced apple tea called to her. She set her tea kettle under the faucet for water and filled it before placing it on the stove. Every night was the same, son to bed, tea, read a book, and bed. The kettle whistled after six minutes and she poured a steaming cup for herself and settled the tea bag inside. Another three minutes and she would be in a tea haven. However, her eye caught something...

She put down her teacup and wandered over to her back door. Something was sticking out from under the door. She knelt down and saw that it was a piece of paper, folded in half. "What the?" she questioned as she reached for it, pulling it in the rest of the way and unfolding it.

A playing card fell out of and into her waiting hand, along with a note in fine handwriting.

"My lovely..." the note said. It was quite the unusual message. Then her attention fixated on the card ad she turned it over, revealing a queen of hearts. What did this mean and who put it there? She didn't panic. Actresses in their prime have been known to have secret admirers. Perhaps this was one and they were too shy to approach her. Still she worried that this person knew where she lived. For now she would take it in stride and if anything should come up, she could always file a stalker report or hire a bodyguard.

She returned to her tea and put the card down on the counter, along with the note. Best to keep them just in case she needed to provide the police with evidence.

The tea disappeared in minutes and she settled into her living room along with a book to catch up on her reading.

Outside in the cool night air, Joker hung around on the fire escape, peering through the shades of Sera's windows. He was certain she'd found the note because she looked a tad nervous. Now she was curled up in a blanket on the couch and reading. He was hoping to see her reaction to the message but found himself disappointed. Oh well. He would be making himself known to her soon. For now, he had her address and he needed to get some shut eye. Another cab ride was in order and he pulled his jacket collar up a little higher before climbing back down to the ground and flagging for the next driver.

On the ride home, Joker was grumbling to himself about how she managed to turn out so well after what he did to her. She worked in theatre with a pretty sweet paycheck, judging by her hybrid vehicle and her fancy private apartment. The complex was huge and each apartment had two floors, so it resembled a townhouse. She kept very nice furniture and expensive paintings on her walls. Her son appeared to have a really good upbringing. What didn't he do to thoroughly screw her up?

Three blocks away from his bunker, he directed the cabby to pull over and let him out. He'd gotten used to actually paying for rides the last year. It kept his cover and worked. There was no suspicion. He trudged all the way back to the hideout, thinking about how he would execute his new plan. She would obviously be tough to break, but he loved the challenge.

* * *

The following day, Sera wound up cleaning the entire house, including her son's room after he put up a hissy fit. She decorated the apartment with everything that was colored red and gold, Iron Man's colors. Gabriel was obsessed with that movie and to be honest, she thought Robert Downey Jr. was hot. The kids would be getting goody bags filled with gummy bears, rock candy, and assorted Iron Man toys. Gabe ran all over the house shouting happy birthday to himself at every opportunity. Sera was especially excited to see the cake that she ordered. One of her theatre buddies was a part time decorator on the side and specialized in modeling chocolate. The guests would be arriving soon.

Just as she finished her phone call with 'Pizza Hutt' there was a ring at her doorbell.

"That must be the cake."  
She was beaten to the door by Gabriel who yanked it open and squealed when he was greeted by an edible bust of Iron Man. He almost knocked over the guest.

"Gabe! Get your bum back in the living room before you knock something over!" Sera said sternly and turned to her friend, "It looks wonderful! Bethany, I don't know how you do it!"

The cake was placed on the kitchen counter and away from any moisture.

"Thank you!" Beth replied graciously and she turned around to look outside, "Well come on hun!"

A little girl around six rounded the doorframe shyly and waved to Sera, "Hi..." she said sweetly.

"Hello Kayla, are you ready to have fun today?"

Kayla nodded and began taking off her shoes. She carried a little doll, holding it close as if it was the last toy on Earth.

"Gabe is in the living room, why don't you go play with him until all of our guests arrive."

Within the next thirty minutes, the apartment was filled with friends and colleagues and their kids. It was mayhem everywhere, especially with the little ones running around. There was hours of games to be played. Pizza arrived right on schedule. The adults shared stories from the theatre and a little bit of wine. Then the lovely cake made its debut to everyone's amazement and the children went wild. It was so delicious and Bethany was handing her phone number to everyone since they all wanted to order birthday cakes for their kids. Gabriel was having a blast and grew even happier when they got to the presents. He was overwhelmed with the number of Avenger toys he'd gotten and an action figure of Iron Man, plus a copy of the Avengers movie which the kids insisted on watching right away. Even the adults were pleased with how well put together the film was.

* * *

The party moved into the night and soon enough, many of the kids were falling asleep. The guests trickled out little by little until the apartment was empty save for Sera and Gabriel. Both were too tired to clean up and Gabe was out cold on the couch. She gathered up her son and brought him to his room. She didn't bother changing his clothes and put him right to bed. He held his new action figure in his arms, not letting go for dear life.

"What a day..." she moaned and took her time heading to her room. She stripped out of her jeans and red shirt before sliding into her blue satin nightgown and crawling into bed. She didn't care if she skipped her nightly routine and once her head hit the pillow, she passed out.

Several hours into the night...

A lone figure waited outside of the living room window and began prodding at the sill. He'd done this thousands of times and it was a piece of cake to break the latch and slide up the glass. The clown prince of crime never lost his touch and he was grateful that she didn't keep an alarm system. The residents of Gotham have grown a little careless since the decline of super villain crime. He closed the sill and wandered around in the dim lighting. Sera kept a few night lights around the apartment. There was a sign hanging above the mantle which read 'Happy Birthday' and Joker smiled. He missed the party but he would soon be starting one. He padded lightly through the living room, kicking aside toys and pillows until he eyed the stack of pizza boxes in the dining room. He was a little hungry as he skipped dinner. He popped open the topmost box and scooped out a slice of hawaiian style. He munched it down as he explored further into the home.

Sera had a great place. It was spacious, enough for a family of six to comfortably live. He kind of envied her. He licked his fingers after finishing the pizza and wandered down the hallway towards the bedrooms. It steadily grew warmer the farther back he got and he slipped off his overcoat and hat, letting them drape over a chair. He pushed open the first door to his right and peeked in. It was dark save for a little Iron Man nightlight. It was the child's room and for now he would ignore. He backed up and continued down the hall, peeking into the next room. A study, the next one a game room.

"Geez..." he whispered.

The final room at the end of the hall was the master bedroom and he grinned knowing she would be sleeping in there. He pushed open the door gently and stepped inside. He could make out the silhouette of the bed frame and he approached cautiously. Then his eyes adjusted for the level of darkness and he could just see the highlights of her face. She was sleeping peacefully; one arm draped across her stomach and the other outstretched over her head. Her red hair lay in tangles all around her head. Joker could strangle her if he wanted to. His eyes wandered along her neckline and to the top of her nightgown. Her chest rose and fell steadily.

He brought his hand down to her throat, just grazing her skin and it trailed down to the lacy fabric of her neckline. Sera stirred a bit and he pulled his hand away until she stopped moving. The satin comforter fell away from her torso as she rolled onto her side and part of her gown hiked up, revealing her lavender panties and part of her lower belly. Light scars were visible on her skin and he ran his fingers along one of them. He wasn't sure why, but he found women with scars very attractive. Perhaps that's why he enjoyed torturing Eve so many years ago.

"My lovely..." he uttered quietly as his fingers began to stroke her lower belly, loving the sensation under his fingertips.

Then he heard her whisper something.

"Rob...ert..."

Robert? Was that the name of her husband? Where was the guy anyways? Perhaps he traveled? Whatever, the guy wasn't here now which left a whole lot of opportunity open to Joker. With a little more boldness, Joker slid his fingers lower until they touched her panty line, but was stopped when she rolled over onto her back. She was a little bit farther away now but it didn't stop him and he carefully crawled onto the mattress and sat down next to her. His hand found itself back on her belly and sliding downwards, this time going underneath her panties. He grinned when his middle finger connected with soft curls, but then it finally happened. Sera stirred herself awake and felt a presence right next to her.

Her eyes jutted wide open and before she could scream, Joker's hands flew to her mouth and his bodyweight was used to pin her down into the mattress.

"Don't scream," he commanded, keeping himself from shouting.

She couldn't see very well, but this person had a very familiar aura. When her eyes adjusted, she could make out his extremely white skin and the blackness surrounding his eyes. Then she panicked and began struggling.

"Stop!" he said a little more forcefully, "Or I'll snap your neck..." he growled.

Then she knew who it was for sure. This was like the last time they met. He snuck up on her and prevented her from crying for help and that's when he...

Her body went limp. She had her son to worry about now and she couldn't allow for Joker to hurt him.

"That's better," Joker said and he eased his grip on her mouth, "We're going to have a little chat my love."

Her brow furrowed and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Naughty, naughty! First rule, never ever look away from me when I'm speaking to you. The last girl I had did that frequently and now she's dead." He made it sound like he'd been the one to kill Eve, but Sera didn't need to know he was bluffing.

Sera's eyes shot open, tears began flowing down her cheeks.

"Very good. If you do as I say, I won't have to injure you. Can you follow orders well?"

It hurt her to do this, but she nodded.

"You're a better listener than the other girl. Now then, we are going to start our night with-

Joker was interrupted when he heard a tiny voice call out from the hallway.

"Mommy..."

The bedroom door creaked open a little and the little boy appeared. Sera gasped and could only do what any mother would, bite down on Joker's hand.

Joker yelped and tore his hand away from her mouth, giving her an opportunity to yell, "Gabe, run! Get out of the apartment and call for help!"

"But mommy?" Gabe responded, obviously frightened, "What's wrong with you?"

Joker's hand crashed against the side of Sera's face, stunning her momentarily but she continued to scream to her son, "Hurry Gabe!"

The little boy finally turned to run back down the hall.

Frustrated, Joker groaned and raised his hand towards the boy.

A series of vines chased the little boy down the hall and caught him. They wrapped around his legs and waist and dragged him back to the bedroom. He was floating in the air when another vine slithered up to his neck and began squeezing.

An angry Joker materialized even more vines which claimed Sera's limbs and tied her down to the bed. Her mouth was covered by a large leaf. He was able to sit up and look her in the face, "Your first mistake my dear and I don't trust women enough to give them another chance. However, I'll make you suffer indefinitely without killing you." He began closing his fingers and it signaled for the vines around the little boy to choke him.

Gabe was crying out for his mother as best he could, but they were nothing more than gasps for air and sniffles. Sera thrashed against her bonds and saw that Joker was smiling at her.

"It'll all be over soon little man," Joker said to Gabe, "And all this fuss because your mommy couldn't cooperate."

Sera screamed against the vine and eventually her mouth slipped free of it. She had no choice now and loudly screamed, "YOU WOULD KILL YOUR OWN SON?"

The words hit him like a ton of bricks and instantly his hand dropped, which caused Gabe's vines to fall away from his throat. The little boy sputtered and coughed as he drew breath again.

Sera felt a sense of relief and caught Joker staring madly at her, his eyes wide open. He said nothing at first, but eventually blurted out, "Say it again?"

_To be continued..._


	19. Chapter 17

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 17

Deal or no deal

"Say it again?"

"Your son! He's your son!" Sera yelled.

Joker leaned back, taken completely by surprise and his gaze move over to the struggling boy on the floor. He was kicking away at the vines, but Joker's hold remained. In a flash, Joker directed one vine to turn on the lights and it quickly flipped a switch on the wall. The room filled with light and all of them flinched for a moment before their eyes adjusted. The boy floated over to the bed and Joker looked him over, spending the most time studying Gabe's face. Joker sneered and refused to believe Sera.

"Bullshit. He looks nothing like me," Joker stated.

"Well duh! He doesn't exactly have bleached skin and green hair!" Sera retorted.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Well he doesn't look at all like me!" she argued, "Everyone in my my family has bright red hair and blue eyes!"

"How do I know that you didn't sleep around?"

"How dare you insult me like that!" she shouted, "I can prove you're the father! I was a nurse you know!"

"Fine, then prove it," Joker challenged.

"Go down to the hospital with me and I'll get a test," Sera said.

"Now I know you're just trying to escape. You're pulling my leg aren't you?" he growled.

"No! I'm telling the truth!"

Joker couldn't believe the situation. To be honest, he didn't know he was capable of having children after the multiple chemical baths he's had. He figured he was sterile. Now he needed to be more careful. Still, what if she was lying? What if she wasn't? He paused and gave it some thought before figuring out a plan that would benefit him. He grinned, this could mean he would be in better surroundings. To live a life of luxury would be ideal...not to leave out his life of crime of course. With a new plan, Joker quickly restrained Sera's head by wrapping another vine around her forehead and two leaves silenced her, "Here's what we're gonna do. I'm currently in hiding and I know for a fact the world believes I'm dead. However, I haven't been enjoying my settlement very much and have been looking for an upgrade."

Sera cringed, she knew exactly what he was planning before he even said it. She immediately began shaking her head.

"Uh uh, I haven't finished yet," he reminded, waving a finger at her before continuing, "You are going to go down to the hospital to retrieve everything you need to do a paternity test and come back immediately. To make sure you don't go to the police, your kid is going to stay here with me."

She vigorously shook her head.

"Stop that!" he demanded and grasped her chin, "We're going to be playing house for a while. I think your son will enjoy this game. To your family and friends, we will be playing the part of a cohabiting couple. You won't reveal who I truly am and if there's visitors, I work in the entertainment business as an impersonator. That should explain my looks. You will continue going to work and performing as if nothing is happening. Is all this clear?" He allowed the leaves to drop from her face.

"You think I'm just going to go along with all of this so willingly?"

"No, I don't. Which is why I will be using your son to my advantage. Behave and I'll let him live longer."

"How can you even think of killing your-"

"He's not mine! At least not yet."

"And if you find out he is yours, will you still threaten him?"

Joker did not answer that question, "You'll leave now for that test. I'm giving you two hours to get the materials. Tell your son he will behave while you're gone."

The vines fell away from her limbs and she crawled out from under him. Her first instinct was to roll off the bed and help Gabriel. She tore at the vines until his legs were free. Gabe clung to his mother, crying into her shoulder.

"It's ok, it's ok," Sera whispered, trying to calm Gabe down.

Joker paced around the room, waiting for her to get up and get dressed. The kid clung to her as she pulled on a shirt and pair of jeans. Then Sera led her son into the living, Joker following close behind.

They were in the kitchen and Gabe watched as his mother started putting her shoes on, "Mommy, where we going?"

"Gabe, I have to make an important run. I need you to be a brave boy now and stay home."

"No mommy! I wanna go with you!" Gabe clung onto her legs, refusing to let go.

It broke her heart to be forced to leave him behind, "I'm sorry baby."

Growing bored with sentimentality, Joker pushed for Sera to get moving, "All right, break it up. We're on a schedule people. You have less than two hours left, get moving!" he barked at her.

"I'll be home soon Gabe. I promise." She tried to pry the little boy's arms off her leg.

"No mommy, I don't wanna stay with him!" he screamed.

Having had enough, Joker grasped the little boy by the waist and tore him away from his mother, "C'mon shorty, we got a long night ahead of us!"

"No! Mommy!" Gabe cried and he tried to squeeze out of Joker's arms.

She wanted to pounce on Joker and beat the hell out of him for touching her boy, but she refrained for Gabe's safety. Instead she left with parting words, "You hurt him and I swear I'll kill you myself!"

"You aren't the first to say that sweetheart!" Joker smiled and he squashed Gabe against his chest, "Go!"

Sera grabbed her purse from the back of the door and quickly left. She had only so much time to get to the hospital labs and pray that an old colleague would provide her with test materials.

Joker passed the time by picking at the leftover food from the party. He was munching on a piece of cake and occasionally pausing to peer at the little boy seated in the corner. The boy was clutching an Iron man doll.

Gabe didn't take his eyes off the clown. He sniffled and hugged his toy, hoping that his mother would be back soon.

Joker lied to Sera earlier about the kid. There was some resemblance to him, his former self at least. Gabe's hair was the exact same color and he had green eyes. His face was heart shaped as well. He didn't want to believe that he could potentially be someone's dad. The silence was getting to Joker and he attempted to get the little guy talking, "So, your name is Gabriel? Named after the archangel..."

Gabe didn't respond, just looked away.

"Don't be afraid to talk to Mr. J, shorty. I'm really good with kids."

The child looked at Joker defiantly and said, "Iron Man will beat you up if you hurt my mommy!"

Joker burst out in a fit of laughter, nearly spitting out his cake, "Very cute kiddo..." He leaned back in his chair and scraped the last bit of frosting off his plate before licking his finger clean, "Very tasty." He eyed an open bottle of champagne and picked it up, "Mommy's drinking the good stuff." He chugged back the bottle, finishing the last drop, "I love how the kids are more interested in today's multimedia rather then the real deal. Bet old Batsy is just a washed up prat at this point."

Gabe looked confused.

"Tell me you've heard of Batman?" Joker questioned, his eyes wide open and then he roared with laughter when Gabe shook his head no, "Oh man, that is god damn hilarious!" He almost fell back in his chair, "Your ma keeps you sheltered!" Having regained his composure, Joker dropped his paper plate on the table and stood up. He wandered past the boy and went into the living room to look at the numerous books in the case. He spotted classics and a series of encyclopedias before settling his eyes on a photo album and withdrew the thick book to flip through it. The first few pages were of Sera when she was young and what looked like her parents. He skipped several pages, moving through school pictures and family outings until he saw her college photos. Sera was receiving her nursing degree and another showed her wearing scrubs and posing with doctors and staff from Gotham hospital. Joker figured this image was taken shortly before he met her while she was an intern.

Then after two more pages of hospital photos, Joker found an ultrasound...

"So this is your very first picture..." Joker commented, glancing at the boy but received no response so he continued on. The next page had several more ultrasounds; one for five months and a label for 'boy' beneath it and a couple for seven months. There was a whole lot dedicated to this pregnancy. The next few pages were of a very pregnant Sera enjoying a baby shower, followed up by hospital images and being cared for by her colleagues.

Then Gabriel was present in Sera's arms. She looked very happy and exhausted. Before he could continue, he heard the back door open and quickly stuffed the book back into place. Gabriel leapt to his feet and ran into the kitchen.

"Mommy! I stayed right where you told me!" Gabe blurted out, his tears welling up again.

Sera knelt down and grasped him, whispering, "Was he nice to you?"

"I think so," Gabe replied.

"He didn't touch you?"

"No."

"Good," she said, relieved and took his hand before moving into the living room. Joker was pacing around looking far too happy. "I got everything for an at home test but I'll have to return to the hospital tomorrow morning to deliver them to the lab."

"Sounds like a plan."

Sera glanced at the clock on the wall, two am, "Let's hurry up and do this test so I can put Gabe back to bed."

Ten minutes went by and Sera had set up the paternity test on the table. It only contained three buccal swabs and sterile plastic bags to place them in. "Gabriel, you first."

Gabe marched over to Sera and waited for her, "Open up," she said as she tapped his lips with a finger. He opened his mouth and she quickly swabbed the inside of his left cheek before depositing the stick into a baggy and labeling it. Then she took up another swab, "Now you," she told Joker.

Joker chuckled, "Any excuse to part my lips, I'd much rather part yours...and I don't mean just these lips," he said crudely, pointing to her mouth.

"Ugh...just open your mouth," she groaned and shoved the swab inside before he could say anything else. She scraped it along his cheek and withdrew it. He made a biting motion at her as she did so.

After sealing the swab she debated on what name to label the bag with, "I obviously can't put Joker. I'll be laughed out of the city."

Joker scratched his chin and grinned, "Put something 'inconspicuous'."

"Whatever...Nathaniel Douglas," she emphasized the name in such a way hoping it would insult him and she wrote the name down on the bag.

"Nathan for short!" he chuckled and winked at her.

"Is everything a joke to you?"

One of his eyebrows rose and he smirked.

"Never mind, don't answer that," she said and placed the bags into a canvas pouch, "I'll take these in at seven am. Gabe, time to go back to bed."

The kid gave no argument as he was led down the hallway, yawning. Sera tucked him in and kissed him and his doll before checking his nightlight. Afterwards she returned to her room, never bothering with turning the lights on to see where she was going and crashed on the bed. She yanked up the blankets and sheets and closed her eyes. Sleep was so close, yet so far away...especially when she felt vibrations on the opposite side of the bed. Then the springs squeaked, squashing together when weight was applied.

Sera's eyes shot open, but she only saw darkness and a tiny bit of silhouette, "What the?"

"Sh..." Joker whispered as he crawled onto the mattress.

"What are you doing? Get out!"

"Temper, temper sweetheart. Remember the deal?"

The deal doesn't include you sleeping in my bed!" she growled and scooted to the edge of the mattress.

"But the deal does include you and I living as a couple and what do couples do? Share a bed," he mused.

"Well I don't want you in here..."

"I'm not giving you a choice and you will do it or do I have to get serious?" he retorted.

Sera had enough and attempted to get up, but Joker grabbed one of her wrists and pulled her back into the bed. He pushed her down against the mattress and climbed on top of her, separating her legs and lying against her, "Fine, you asked for it." He then brought his face down and crushed her lips harshly with his before releasing a mass of green spores. It only took a couple of seconds for her body to go limp. However, this was different. After a few years of practicing, Joker was able to develop different varieties of spores; some more potent than others. This particular type made a person fall into body paralysis. They are completely aware and could control all of their senses, but the muscles in their limbs and part of the torso and neck were unusable for a few hours, "That's better."

"What did you do to me?" she asked, worried and trying to move her limbs.

"Just something to help you relax." Joker shifted his weight off her and sat up. He started removing his jacket and vest. His fingerless gloves came off next, followed by his spats and pants until he remained in his boxers. Then he laid his hands on her belly and pushed up her shirt until he felt her soft cotton bra. His fingers ran over her breasts teasingly, "Got bigger I see." He cupped the underside of the fleshy mounds and squeezed.

"Stop it!" she cried.

"Nah, I like this..."

Joker pulled her shirt over her head and then slipped his hands underneath her back to unclasp her bra. He tossed the lingerie aside and began work on her jeans, unbuttoning them and sliding them down her legs. With only a pair of panties to protect her, Joker turned her body so her back was pressed against his belly and he slid his left hand across her torso and his right arm snuck underneath her and curled around her chest. His hand gripped around her throat and squeezed, constricting her airway slightly. She could feel his palm pressing harshly into her throat, making it impossible to speak, only gasp and barely breathe. Then she felt her left thigh being lifted and placed over his knee. The position left her incredibly vulnerable. He breathed into her ear and brought his lips to the flesh right under her hair line and planted many small kisses while his hand caressed her belly and slowly wandered down to the top of her panties. His fingers dipped below the cotton fabric and made connection with her soft curls before finding the very top of her labia.

Sera groaned her displeasure with his actions and tried to protest but it didn't stopped his fingers from sinking down into her folds and sliding inside her body. Two of his wretched fingers pumped in and out.

"Ooh, someone's getting excited," he murmured into her ear seductively as moisture built up around his digits. He swirled them around and eventually withdrew them, "It's been so long since I've had a woman." He rubbed his wet fingers together before bringing them to his lips and sliding them into his mouth to suck off the juices. He loved the taste and the mild yet gentle scent. His tongue slid around his ring finger, removing all traces. Afterwards, his hand returned to her panties and were immediately coated again. Then he started rubbing vigorously against her throbbing clitoris, sending ridiculous amounts of pleasure up and down her spine. She couldn't move, so he wasn't able to tell how close she was until her breathing picked up. "Come for me..." he uttered.

It couldn't be helped, he was forcing her to the brink and she hated herself for it. She was breathing so rapidly...

Joker pushed even harder on her until her breath caught in her throat and she froze up, orgasm making its way through her body. She sucked in a great deal of air when Joker's hand fell away from her throat.

"W-why...did you do that? How dare you!" she muttered.

"Awe c'mon sweetheart, you must have had some fun am I right?"

"Just because a girl has an orgasm during rape doesn't mean that she wanted it!"

"Heh, heh..." Joker chuckled and removed his fingers from her core again. He repeated his process of self cleaning his hands by mouth before grabbing her around the waist and clinging to her once again, "That was only a taste of what's to come now that we're an official 'couple'."

"Force is not part of any successful relationship!"

"I'm capable of being sensitive sweetheart."

"I find that hard to believe," she argued.

"Wanna bet on it?"

"No."

"Why not? Afraid of losing a bet?"

"No, I don't gamble. Ever."

Joker settled his head on a pillow and breathed in the scent of her hair, "Well you're about to because I'm making you. Hundred bucks says I'm right."

"Since when do petty criminals like you have any money readily available. You steal money and then spend it all in one shot!"

"I have my stash sweetheart. You're betting on it, no joke."

She sighed and discontinued talking, ready to pass out from extreme sleepiness. It seemed he was now in the same boat as he grew quiet. Both of them fell asleep, Joker's arms encircling her and keeping their bodies together for warmth.

_To be continued..._


	20. Chapter 18

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 18

Broadcast

Sera rolled over, sheets twisting around her and the sun beamed through the window. Her eyes cracked open and she sleepily rubbed one of her eyes. She was alone in bed. What happened last night? Was it a dream? She sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed and saw her clothes on the floor. Strange, she couldn't remember getting undressed. She slid off the bed and retrieved her bath robe off the back of her bedroom door and put it on before leaving.

Gabe's door was wide open and she peeked inside. He was out of bed and probably watching cartoons. She quietly padded down the hall and finally reached the living room. She was right, Gabe was up and watching a movie, Avengers again. He had a bowl of dry fruit loops in his lap and he munched them between giggles. He lined up all of his toys, making them face the tv so they could all watch.

_"Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"_ came out of the tv and Sera couldn't help but laugh at Robert Downey Jr's comment to Thor.

"It's good to hear your laugh sweetheart..."

Sera spun around and saw the clown freak standing in her kitchen holding a mug. He was shirtless but had slipped on his pants. She'd hoped it was all a dream and her smile instantly became a frown. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but the presence of her son stayed her tongue.

Joker approached her, casually walking around her and then leaning in to whisper, "You look incredibly sexy in the morning with your hair all mussed up." He then wrapped one arm around her waist and placed a soft kiss on her neck, "I made coffee."

His touch made her very uncomfortable and she pulled away from him. In order to avoid a scene in front of Gabe, she would humor Joker and fetch a mug out of the cupboard. She poured herself a cup and sipped at it, no sugar or milk added.

"Ah, a straight black drinker," Joker commented as he finished his own cup.

"Only when I'm upset."

"Awe sweetheart, why so serious?" he moped and placed his empty mug in the sink, "Think of all the fun we could have!"

"Yours and my idea of 'fun' are completely different." Sera left Joker alone in the kitchen, intending to take a shower and clean up. She entered her large bathroom and sat down at her vanity, picking up a paddle brush and running it through her hair to remove the knots. Then she moved over to her sink to brush her teeth and put a deep conditioner into her hair before she hopped into the shower. Two shower heads turned on, one each on opposing walls. She waited for the water to heat up and removed her robe and panties in the meantime, tossing both into the nearby hamper. Once a sufficient temperature was reached, she climbed into the extra large stall and soaked her hair, rinsing away the conditioner. She rested her forehead against a wall, letting the water hit her and relaxing into the warm steam. Her eyes closed and she cleared her mind, not wanting Joker to invade her thoughts.

She spent a good amount of time like this until she decided to wash up, shave her legs, and rinse off. It was about time to get out, but she stopped in her tracks and huddled up against a wall when she heard the bathroom door open. Sera peered through the shower's frosted glass door and groaned upon seeing a blurred image of white skin and green hair. Then she nearly had a heart attack when a trickling sound rung in her ears and she wanted to step out of the shower and slap him.

"Couldn't you have used the half bath on the other side of the house?" she shouted.

Joker chuckled as he finished his business and flushed the toilet.

Sera heard the faucet running briefly and then it shut off. She assumed that he would leave the bathroom afterwards, but that wasn't the case when the glass slid open and in came the crime clown, fully undressed and looking lustful.

"No, no, no, you need to leave...now," she said nervously and moved as far away from him as possible.

Joker's arms were outstretched and he slowly moved towards her; water soaking his thick hair and making it cling to his shoulders.

Sera cowered as his hands connected with the wall on either side of her head.

"So sweetheart, what's on the agenda?"

"I have to get those tests back to the hospital," she replied, hoping that was all that he meant.

"Those can wait a little while," Joker replied and he let his hands fall down to her waist and he pulled her even closer so they were skin to skin.

She tried to push away from him but his strong arms held her tightly. Her hands were squashed against his chest, a result of being trapped between him and the wall. "I need to check on Gabriel."

"The kid's fine. He's still watching his movie but you looked a little lonesome in the shower. So my lovely, how about Mr. J keep his word and show you how much of a gentleman he can be?"

"No thanks."

Her protest wasn't heeded and Joker laid multiple kisses along her shoulder and moved in towards neck. A sopping strand of his hair glued itself to her skin and dragged along her chest. His tongue then slipped out of his mouth and he tasted her flesh, licking up droplets of tap water.

"Joker, stop."

"No, baby," he uttered and ran his hands up and down her back. He peeked over her shoulder and could just barely see the top of the koi fish tattoo lining her back. His thumb traced the fish's mouth and up along its shiny scaling until he reached her shoulder blade. "Still lovely. So you still love tattoos."

Sera sighed, "Yes."

"How does it feel to have a razor blade dragged along your skin?" he asked.

"A razor?"

"That's what a tattoo feels like, does it not?"

Sera nodded, "I guess so. It hurt like hell especially when the color was done, but I loved getting it. Can I get out now?"

Slightly annoyed with her lack of interest, Joker said, "Ask me one more time to stop or let you out and I'll find a real razor blade and drag that along your sadistic-loving ass...or maybe your son's." His hand grasped her around the throat and he pushed her against the wall again.

"You wouldn't dare," she said angrily, coiling her fingers around his hand and pulling on it.

"I would. Don't think I haven't raised a hand against a kid before. I'm not afraid to do that."

"You stay away from my son."

"That's going to be hard to do while I'm staying here. Keep in mind, the kid stays with me while you make the delivery today. Your behavior towards me will have dramatic impact on how well I treat your kid. You behave, I behave. Got it?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, mixing with the water. He had her at a stalemate, "Okay...I get it," she breathed and relief washed over her when he released her.

"Good. Now then, how long are your nails?"

"What? Um, well not too long I guess." She lifted her hands so he could view them.

"Long enough," he said before opening the shower door and fetching the plastic chair from her vanity. Water dripped off him and all over the floor, making Sera roll her eyes. There's another mess she would be stuck cleaning up. Joker brought the chair into the stall and he sat down, making sure to face backwards so he could rest his arms on the back. "How about a nice head massage sweetheart?"

"B-"

"No buts," he interrupted before she could complain. He picked up a bottle of shampoo from the caddy hanging from a hook on the wall and handed it to her. "That'll make it easier to do."

She grudgingly took the bottle and squirted a generous amount into her hand. Joker had a ton of hair and it was near mid-back length, much longer than hers. She somewhat envied his length because she used to keep it the same way, but cut it shoulder length to hide her hair under wigs a bit easier. She dropped the bottle on the floor and rubbed the shampoo in her hands, lathering it a bit and then started on his scalp. Her fingers would not run through the thick locks, "Oh my gosh, when is the last time you put a brush through this? No offense..." she quickly added, not wanting him to get angry.

Joker sat up slightly, "Hmm..." and scratched his chin in deep thought, "I've always used dry shampoo so I wouldn't have to do much with it. It coils on its own."

"Well, your hair isn't exactly dreading if that's the look you were going for. Looks more like a jester's hat full of snarls."

"What do you suggest sweetness?"

"It'll take me a while, but I work this out. Hang on," she said and attempted to pull open the stall door.

Joker grabbed her hand, "What're you doing?"

"I promise I'm not going to run. I have my son to worry about. I'm getting a wide toothed comb and a deep conditioner."

It would be a leap of faith for him, but he let her go outside the stall to retrieve her things. He heard her open the bathroom door and called out to her son, "Gabe, I'm gonna be in the bathroom for a while, will you be all right?"

Joker peeked out of the stall, seeing the very nude woman peering out into the hall, "Come back," Joker requested sternly.

Sera, satisfied with her son's reply of "Yeah I'm okay mommy", returned to the cabinet and pulled out her strongest conditioner. Then she grabbed her wooden wide tooth comb and re-entered the shower. She began by finishing the first wash on his scalp. She could get her fingers underneath some of the dreads but just barely. She rinsed out the shampoo and decided starting from the bottom up would be the best option. She went through nearly half a bottle of her favorite organic, no chemicals added treatment before getting his entire head covered with the stuff. Then she started combing through the longest dread, slowly working her way up. It took almost an hour to get through two of the dreads and the length of his hair was insane. It nearly touched his rear, but had ridiculous split ends. She continued working well into another hour and finally reached the top. When she finally got the final knot out she breathed a sigh of relief and dropped the comb.

"I'm gonna have to rewash it. I could barely get my fingers through the first time."

He head ached from the constant pulling but he toughed it out as she started lathering shampoo through his locks again. This time her hands were gentle, almost apologetic for nearly ripping his hair out the last two hours. It felt like she was actually massaging and that helped with the aching. He hummed his approval of this new method and leaned back into her breasts while she carefully ran her fingernails along his scalp. It felt so nice...nice enough to send pleasure signals down his spine. It couldn't be helped, this was making him horny and he felt that familiar rush in his groin. He closed his eyes and allowed his hand to slide down his belly and touch his now growing length.

"Keep that up sweetheart," he said as he encircled his erection and slowly stroked it, enticing it to fully awaken.

Sera could've sworn she heard him moan gently and wondered what he must have been thinking. She continued to massage as he requested and her hands moved down just above the nape of his neck to rake through the underside of his hair.

"Oh...that's really nice," Joker growled and he began moving his hand even more vigorously.

Now Sera could actually feel his movements, "What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

There was no response from Joker other than a very masculine purr. She peeked over his shoulder and flushed. He was jerking himself!

"Oh my god..." she uttered and stopped all movement of her hands.

"I didn't say to stop sweetheart," Joker turned to glare at her. His angry red eyes bore into hers and she was terrified momentarily before replacing her hands on his neck and continuing.

His hand picked up speed and he could tell it would be any second. When the erotic sensation swarmed through his loins, his mouth fell open and he grimaced as he shot his seed all over the chair and onto his stomach and hand. The remainder dribbled out of the tip and washed away with the water. Joker fell back against Sera, breathing heavily. He was content.  
When she felt okay with his mood, she let up on the massaging and took down the shower head hose to rinse all traces of shampoo out before coating it one more time with conditioner and doing a final rinse. By the time they finished, their hands were all wrinkled from being wet for so long and Sera was feeling a bit waterlogged. She turned off the shower, griping that her water bill would be a nightmare this month. The two of them climbed out of the shower and Sera wrapped herself in a fluffy cream colored towel and put her hair in a turbie twist. Joker yanked a spare one from her cabinet and wrapped it around his waist and started squeezing excess water from his hair into the nearby bath tub. She exited the bathroom, happy to be out and away from the humid air and walked to her bedroom, Joker close behind.

She began drying herself in her walk-in closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a nice blouse.

Joker saw his reflection in her mirror, "Never realized how long it was."

"A lot of it needs to be cut off. At least a good ten to twelve inches," she blurted out, "I have a pair of good scissors. Meet me out in the kitchen and we'll do it."

"Ooooh, we will?" he teased, putting on a look of hopefulness.

"You know what I meant..." she groaned and slid on a pair of panties. She kept her towel around her body as she put on her jeans but had to turn around for her bra. After sliding on a shirt she saw Joker reaching for his own clothes, "No way!" she cried and stole the clothes from his hands.

"Would you prefer I stay naked?" Joker laughed.

Sera gave him a dirty look and went back into her closet. He could hear her fumbling around in there until she reappeared with a dark blue pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. She pushed the clothes into his arms, "Your clothes need to be washed very badly. Put these on."

Joker looked at the jeans but shrugged his shoulders and dropped them on the bed before allowing his towel to fall off in her presence. He chuckled when he saw her turn away, "So sweetheart, do these belong to that fiancee of yours?"

Sera's eyes widened and her mood went a little sour, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh struck a nerve did I? Let me guess, this gray shirt is your hubby's 'long night of sex' shirt. You know, the one where he goes to bed wearing and you end up having on in the morning?" he said, hoping to get a rise out of her.

"I said I don't want to discuss it!" she shouted and exited the bedroom without another word.

Joker quickly pulled on all the clothes and chased her out into the kitchen, where he found her on the phone, "Sweetheart, I hope you weren't planning on trying to evade me or call for help. Keep in mind, the police will consider you a lunatic if you try to report me! Your son is only a few feet away!" he said angrily and pointed into the living at the now sleeping child on the floor. That worked. She put the phone back on the hook and leaned back against the counter. "Okay then, why don't we get back to business."

Joker waited in the kitchen while Sera went back to the bathroom to claim her scissors and rat tail comb. Joker was already seated in a backwards chair.

Upon returning, Sera saw a large carving knife in Joker's hands and panicked.

"Relax sweetheart. This is only insurance. You try anything with those scissors that does not revolve around cutting hair and I will not hesitate to kill you. It would be quite traumatizing for your son to wake up and see his mother's throat being cut."

"I get the point," she mumbled and walked behind him. The comb went through his hair easily as it was still wet and she started with the back.

"So how do you know how to cut hair?" Joker asked.

"As a nurse, it's part of the job to help patients with basic needs like hair care. Now just try to sit still. I'm taking off a lot of length."

Thirty minutes later, a ton of green hair littered the floor and Sera was finishing up with the front of his head. When the final strand was cut, Joker's hair was brought up to his mid-back again and looked ten times better. She ran her fingers through his long bangs, pushing them back smoothly and then overlooking her work. "Well, it certainly looks and feels better."

"Do I look pretty?" he joked, bringing his hands up under his chin in a child-like manner and grinning at her.

"Cut that out, you look crazy!" she retorted.

"Why thank you!" he laughed and waited for her to stop brushing all the loose hairs off his shoulders.

Sera then grabbed a broom and swept up the big pile of hair and tossed it in the garbage before remembering a key errand she was supposed to run, "Oh shit! The test! I needed to deliver it." She saw the test sitting on the counter and grabbed it before claiming her purse and ripping the towel off her head and tossing it aside. She was about to run out the door when Joker grabbed her arm.

"Remember the rules sweetheart..." He made his point by glancing at the child in the living room.

Sera nodded and rushed out the door.

For the next hour, Joker flipped through the channels and ate up another bit of the leftover party food. He crashed onto the recliner and eventually ran across the news. One story caught his eye...

_'Police are struggling to obtain the identity of Gotham's new super-villain. Some have even suggested that the Batman had turned over a new leaf after so many years of negative media coverage and low tolerance for vigilantes. Commissioner Gordon denies any involvement of the Batman and states he will station officers at all major technology firms and biochemical plants as the villain appears to be striking frequently. Witnesses say the villain wears all black attire and has the strong build of the former villain, Firefly, but attacks with great stealth and leaves behind no evidence.'_

"Hmm, a new super-villain. I may have to reenter the world sooner than I thought. I must reestablish my crown as top dog! I won't have this youngster stealing my glory!" he growled and threw the remote aside. He pulled himself to his feet and wandered into the kitchen, intending to grab a soda or something.

When he yanked open the fridge, he felt a tugging on his shirt and peered down to his left to see Gabriel standing there, rubbing one of his eyes and groggily saying, "I'm hungry."

"Wait for your mom to get home," Joker said hastily.

"But my tummy hurts..." he moped.

"There's leftovers on the table."

"I want kielbasa."

"What the hell is that?"

"Um..." Gabe looked confused.

"Skedaddle kid," Joker said, trying to shoo the child away and returned his attention to the fridge until he heard a sniffling sound. Joker rolled his eyes and leaned over the door again and saw tears streaking down Gabe's cheeks.

It wasn't his 'thing' to be looking after a kid, but the last thing he wanted to hear was a wailing kid so he closed the fridge, "Where's this kielbasa?"

"Up there," Gabe replied and pointed to the freezer.

Joker pulled open the door and looked through the well stocked box, not seeing the item at first.

"There," Gabe pointed in the door just above him.

Inside the freezer door was a small package containing a polish sausage. Luckily, it was already pre-cooked and needed reheating. Gabe was digging through one of the bottom cupboards and pulled a pan out as Joker read the back for cooking it.

* * *

Sera returned home within the two hour time allotment and parked her car. She had an armful of newspapers and some other things. She entered the apartment and surprised to see Gabe in the living room with a bowl of kielbasa and munching away while watching Avengers for the third time in two days. Gabe noticed her and nearly dropped his dish as he climbed to his feet and ran into the kitchen.

"Hi mommy!" and clung to her waist.

"Hey little man," she greeted and knelt down to hug him. She noticed Joker was still in the living room, just barely waking up from a cat nap. She then whispered, "Was he nice to you?"

"Yeah. Um, he made me my sausage."

Sera was a little concerned with that, "Did you watch him make that? He didn't add anything to it?"

"No, I stood on a chair and watched. He let me put them in the water."

"Okay, you let me know if you get a belly ache or feel sick." She then grabbed a fork and scooped a piece out of the pot and chewed one. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the taste and no odd discolorations. Afterwards, she knelt back down and started giving Gabe some new rules, "Okay Gabe, this is very important," she whispered and glanced at Joker once again to make sure he was still in the chair, "I don't want him making anything for you, even if you want it very badly. You wait for me to get home and I'll make it. It's safer this way. If you get very hungry, you take something out of the cupboards that is already pre-made. Also, if you need to go to the bathroom, make sure you go by yourself and lock the door. If he's ever mean to you, don't cry or whine. He may get angrier and try to hurt you. Don't give him a reason to. Do you understand all this?"

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"You're such a big boy," she smiled and hugged him again. Afterwards, she moved into the living room, holding one of the newspapers she brought home and dropped it into Joker's lap.

"There's a new villain running around Gotham. He's all over the papers. I think you're losing your touch Joker," she taunted.

Greatly irritated, Joker threw the papers on the floor and stood up, "The J-man doesn't lose his touch sweetheart. I'm planning a really big return that will knock this city's socks off."

"Hmm...we'll see," she said, brushing him off.

Joker growled and grabbed her arm, squashing it, "Don't get on my bad side sweetheart. It will be your last mistake. What's with the pissy attitude anyways?"  
"Well, I just delivered the test and I can't decide if I'm going to like your reaction to the results." She yanked her arm out of his grasp.

"What are the results?"

"Won't know until tomorrow. I'm expecting an old colleague in the morning to deliver them."

The rest of the day was uneventful. Sera read through the newspapers, interested in the new villain and the commotion flooding through the city. She also read the entertainment section, looking for reviews of the show. It was nearing the end of the season for 'Cats' and there would be auditions held for 'Phantom of the Opera'. She of course would be there, not wanting to miss this opportunity to be in another Andrew Lloyd Webber production. Her goal was to try and get the part of La Carlotta, a relatively humorous character and it would require her to sing in soprano rather than alto. It's been a while since she's had a soprano role.

Sera dropped the newspaper on the table and looked at the clock, eight pm. Gabriel was out cold laying across the couch after a long day of playing with his new toys and building forts with cereal boxes. Tomorrow was also going to be a big day for all of them, even though she knew the truth. She moved into the living room and scooped up Gabe, intending to put him to bed. She carried him away and down the hall to the bathroom.

Joker could hear them both in the bathroom. Sera was coaxing the boy to brush his teeth and it seemed Gabe was putting up a fight. Eventually she got him to do it and then straight to bed. She returned to the kitchen and Joker joined her. He reached up over the refrigerator and pulled down a bottle of red wine and read the label.

"Dominique Piron Brouilly Domaine Combiaty. You have some of the best sweetheart," he praised and dug through her drawers for a bottle opener.

"Those were gifts," she said as she opened the correct drawer for him and he fished out the tool.

"From your manager I assume?"

Sera nodded, "He always gives his cast a bottle of wine before a premier. I haven't touched it yet."

"Well, why not crack it open then," Joker said as he drove the corkscrew into the top and started pulling. The cork came up with little resistance and Joker dropped it on the counter before retrieving two wine glasses from the cabinet. He filled each glass halfway and handed one to her.

"I'm really not in a drinking mood," Sera said.

"Loosen up, you're way too tense." He then offered the glass again, nudging her arm a little but she still wouldn't take it. He shrugged at her and then leaned into her, blowing a pale pink cloud of spores into her face before she could protest.

She accidentally breathed in the fumes and suddenly she felt a state of calm and warmth. It was soothing.

"Take the glass," Joker said softly and this time she did. She wasn't under his control. It was more of an aphrodisiac type of spore. It placed most people into a 'high'. He could see her cheeks flushing and her pupils were dilated. He then sipped on the wine, watching her every move. She did the same and he watched the muscles of her throat as she swallowed every drop of the expensive red liquid. It was a major turn on. He wanted to reach out and touch the delicate flesh of her neck; to stroke and caress it. He downed the remainder of his glass and picked up the bottle to refill it. He also topped hers off.

Forty minutes later the two of them were in the living room, curled up on the couch, Sera's legs draped over his and they were both laughing in a drunken stupor. Two more empty bottles lay on the floor by Joker's feet. He was telling her stories of past heists and some of the pranks that he pulled off. She didn't have anything remotely as funny, but told about her high-school years and the trouble she and her friends had gotten into, such as replacing the school auditorium microphones with carrots before the principal made an important announcement to the student body. They'd gotten two days of detention for that.

It didn't matter what either of them said because they laughed regardless. Sera then got up, stumbling a little, "I remember my best friend spiking the punch at the sophomore semiformal. Then we drank so much of it that we were drunk and d-dancing, falling all over ourselves. It was so great!" She then started twirling around in a mock dance.

The drunk clown then followed her example and did the same until they neared one another and eventually he took one of her hands and pulled her into him. His other hand drifted to her waist and she responded to his advances by placing her hand up on his shoulder. They waltzed for a little while in the silence. The wine had done its job in relaxing Sera and making her drop her defenses enough to press her head into his chest and her hand slipped down his shoulder and gentle played with a strand of his hair.

"You know your hair does look so much nicer like this," she said, twisting the hair in her fingertips.

Joker smiled and wrapped his arms around her, satisfied with their evening. Both of them were so tired and inebriated that they crashed on the floor, arms and legs tangled together. Sleep overcame them quickly, their hatred for each other temporarily forgotten.

_To be continued..._


	21. Chapter 19

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 19

Fight

A knock at the front door and the ding of the doorbell had awoken Joker and he yawned and rubbed his eyes before noticing the sleeping woman next to him. He had a slight headache from last night's drinking, but he would deal with it. Right now, he focused on his bed partner and watched her eyelids twitch occasionally, suggesting that she was dreaming. The doorbell rang again and he rolled his eyes. It was probably the colleague Sera talked about and he quickly tapped her cheek, "Hey, someone's at the door."

Sera stirred and cringed when she saw a ghostly face greeting hers and she jumped to her hands and knees, "How did I get here? What the-?"

"The door," Joker repeated.

There was a loud knock this time and Sera quickly climbed to her feet and immediately regretted it, "Ugh!" she groaned, feeling the migraine forming at her forehead, "Were we drinking last night?"

"The door sweetheart!"

Sera fumbled around until she reached the door and quickly unlocked the deadbolt and pulled it open. A woman in her thirties was waiting patiently.

"Oh did I interrupt something?" the woman asked, seeing Sera's disheveled look and tired eyes.

"No Miranda, you didn't. I just had a rough night and I have two shows to do today."

"You should get some more sleep girl before you pass out on stage. Oh here," Miranda started and withdrew a large envelope from her tote, "Your results. I hope things turn out in your favor and for Gabe's sake."

"I don't think I'll win either way," Sera admitted.

"Well, if you need to talk to someone, I'm always-"

Sera waited for Miranda to finish, but saw that her friend was staring just past her, "Miranda?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company," Miranda said.

Sera's eyes widened and she briefly glanced over her shoulder only to find Joker standing a few feet away and making coffee. He turned around to look at them.

She needed to come up with something fast and suddenly remembered, "Miranda, this is J- erm Nathaniel. He's...well he's..."

"Her boyfriend," Joker filled in.

"Y-yes," Sera agreed and vowed to injure him later.

Miranda leaned in and whispered, "I didn't know you had a boyfriend. You need to visit me at the hospital more often so we can chat." She looked over Nathaniel, "What's with the makeup? He looks just like that clown from a few years ago, ya know, the crazy one?"

"He works in the entertainment business as an impersonator. He looks like the real deal doesn't he?" Sera asked, hoping her friend would believe the lie.

"Very convincing, except his hair. Didn't the original have poofy dreads? Well anyways, you look awesome Nathan! I would never be able to tell you apart from the original!" she said to Joker.

Joker smiled at Miranda and rose his coffee mug in a sort of salute, "Thank you madam," he said politely.

Miranda's attention turned back to Sera, "Your boyfriend has a shit load of talent. He even sounds authentic." She brought her tone back down to a whisper, "He's got a nice bone structure in that face of his and a killer body. I can only imagine what he looks like with all that makeup off. So does Nathan have any brothers? If they're as good looking as he is, I wanna meet them!"

"Oh, he doesn't...sorry," Sera chuckled and she finally took the envelope, "Thanks for bringing this over."

"Come on by the hospital soon and we'll do lunch. Bring your man with you. I'm sure the staff would love to meet him. Maybe we can talk him into performing for us," Miranda teased, "I'd better be going. Good luck hun."

Miranda then disappeared around the corner and Sera closed the door and sighed heavily, "Oye..." she muttered.

Joker chuckled, "That went well, good performance sweetheart."

Sera didn't say anything, but held the thick envelope in her fingers. She wasn't sure she wanted to open it. Who knows what kind of reaction Joker would have when he found out.  
"Well, let's hear it," Joker said, coaxing her into opening the package.

She breathed deeply and tore the seal off the top and took out a set of documents, folded up neatly with an official hospital watermark on each page. She unfolded the papers and read the opening letter. It was basic generic statement and she tossed it aside. Joker approached her side and waited while she read, sipping away at his coffee.

Then finally, Sera found the results and Joker peeked over her shoulder to read them as well.

_'Race Description Specimen ID Specimen Collection_

Mother: Sera Johnston, caucasian  
Child: Gabriel Johnston, caucasian  
Alleged Father: Nathaniel Douglas, unknown

Combined Paternity Index = 36,590 to 1  
Probability of Paternity = 99.99%

Conclusion:

The alleged father, Nathaniel Douglas, cannot be excluded as the biological father of Gabriel Johnston. Based on the genetic testing results, the probability of paternity is 99.99% when compared to an untested random man of the North American population. (Prior Probability = 0.5) At least 99.99% of the North American population is excluded from the possibility of being the biological father of the child.'

Sera lowered the papers. The truth was out, even though she already knew the results, having it on paper sort of sealed the deal. She glanced at Joker, who showed no emotion and began gulping the remainder of his coffee before placing the mug in the sink. He spun around and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and looking solemn. Sera remained silent, waiting to see if he would have an outburst but she was surprised when he said...

"I guess the joke's on me. I didn't anticipate this."

"How could you not? You raped me. What do you think comes of screwing around with people?" she asked sternly.

"Well I didn't know I was capable of fathering a child!" he retorted, "And I don't like your tone of voice!"

"So what now? Are you planning to leave or look after your responsibilities? Quite frankly, I think we were doing just fine without you!"

Joker growled, "Keep it up sweetheart and I'll show you what I like to do to women who talk back to me!"

She had a lot of nerve because she continued, "I know exactly what you would do! Attempt to ruin my life again! I don't know how you could possibly make my life any worse than you already have!"

That did it. Joker pounced at Sera, grasping her around the throat and dragging her into the dining room. He slammed her on the table hard, still holding her by the throat, "I figured you would be smarter than the last girl. She payed dearly for each act of defiance."

Sera choked but managed to spit out, "I know of that g-girl! You cut her to ribbons and you killed her! I read her entire file at the hospital!"

"Riddler killed Eve!"

"No! You did! By dumping her into those chemicals you turned her life into a downward spiral! And now you're trying to do the same to me!"

"What're you talking about?" Joker demanded and he eased his grip slightly, wanting to know how he wrecked her life as well.

"After you raped me, I had to explain to everyone that you were still alive. They all thought I was crazy! The police turned against me and the hospital administration fired me! After I got out of the hospital, I had to explain to my fiancee what you'd done and he broke off our engagement! My parents disowned me the second they found out I was pregnant with an illegitimate child and that I broke my church vows! I just barely recovered when I attended an audition for 'Little Shop of Horrors' and was selected for the role of the dental nurse! It was an easier role for the pregnant girl! Afterwards I made connections and regained my feet before Gabriel was born..."

Joker didn't let go of her, "So I messed up a few things in your life, so what? You aren't the only one with problems sweetheart! You could have chosen to abort the pregnancy, why didn't you?"

"Because it's against my morals and my religion! It wasn't Gabe's fault so why would I punish him for something you did? Plus I could never take the life of an innocent baby and live for the rest of my life knowing what I've done!"

Before Joker could say anything, the two of them heard a small and frightened voice in the hallway.

"Mommy..."

Sera looked at her son as best as she could and called out to him, "Honey go to your room!"  
"But mommy!" Gabriel cried and came a little closer.

"Do as your mother says!" Joker yelled harshly.

The scared child didn't need to be told again and he hightailed it back to his bedroom. Meanwhile Joker pulled Sera to her feet, not letting go of her throat and he pushed her backwards down the hall and into her bedroom. He forced her down onto the bed and began stripping off her clothes. Her shirt split down the back as he tore it away from her.  
"Joker, stop!" she pleaded and began pushing against his chest as he came down on top of her. He forced up her bra and immediately clamped his lips down on one of her mounds, sucking the skin and biting. He was incredibly rough. "Stop it! Not with Gabe in the house!" she screamed again but he ignored her plight.

Joker backed away from her breast, "Shoulda thought about that sooner sweetheart."

"Please don't do this to me again! I can't go through the emotional pain!" she begged, feeling Joker ripping apart her jeans and pulling them down her legs. He pushed apart her thighs and lay down between them.

"I have an erection sweetheart. A nice...long...thick...erection. Can you feel it?" he asked seductively and he thrust his still clothed hips forward to make a point.

She felt his hardened length against her core but she couldn't find her words.

"Answer me!" he barked, scaring her.

Her eyes welled up with humiliation, "Y-yes..." she whispered and her tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I desperately want to fuck you sweetheart, but I'm holding off. Do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"Because I've already got one accident sitting in the other room! So...here's what I'm thinking we should do. I'm going to adjust the rules."

"How?"

"You're going to help me make my debut. I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to do it or how. When the time comes, you will know. Not only will the city know that I'm still alive, your record with the hospital and the police will be clean and who knows, you may get your job back."

"Who says I want it back?"

"Shut up! That's not the point! In exchange for my giving you your life back, you will assist me in every way, shape, or form."

"This isn't an even trade, you're getting far more from me!" she complained.

"I never said I played fairly," he retorted, "Now then, from here on out. You will continue to go to work and pretend that nothing is happening at home. When we go out, it will be the three of us together and you will not attract attention to yourself and you will continue to acknowledge me as Nathaniel or Nathan in public and keep up the impersonator cover. Your son stays home with me when you go to work, to keep you from getting any ideas. And last sweetheart, our relationship is going to reach a new level..." His finger trailed along her belly and began tracing one of the stars on her hip, "But I don't need anymore mistakes. From now on, you will disclose to me when you are most fertile so we can avoid more accidents. Don't try to lie to me, I will keep track."

"Why would I give you private information like that?" she spat out.

"Because I don't wear rubbers sweetheart. Unless you plan on getting knocked up again, I suggest you tell me when it's safe to fuck you!" he yelled.

"And if I refuse you?"

"A bullet between your kid's eyes," he said blandly, "I have my resources and keep in mind, I've killed thousands of people, including children."

"But none of them were your own..." she muttered.

Joker didn't reply to that, just peered at her angrily. He didn't like her playing the biological card.

"If I am being forced to abide by your rules, can I make a request?" she asked.

"Depends on the request."

"You don't force yourself on me. And please stop making threats against Gabriel. Leave him out of the picture and I can assure you I will cooperate in your big unveiling and you can sleep with me all you want, unprotected. I won't resist you anymore. You can have my calendar in the nightstand to track me all you want. My period starts mid next week, so the chances of getting knocked up from now until then is slim to none."

Joker thought about it for a moment, "So, free room and board and unlimited access to your body as long as I don't threaten the kid and I actually have to work to get you riled up and in the sack. Sounds like a challenge, I accept." He backed off of her and reached for the nightstand, opening a drawer and pulling out a pocket sized calendar. He stashed it in his jeans and rolled off the bed, leaving the shocked Sera behind.

That was too close for comfort. She managed to avoid his advances but just barely, but she couldn't but think she made a stupid deal and who knows how long he planned on staying in her apartment. Weeks, months, years? She sighed and got off the bed and headed for her closet to retrieve new clothes.

Gabriel was peeking outside of his bedroom and he cowered when he saw Joker leaving his mother's bedroom alone.

Joker saw the little boy's frightened eyes and he paused in front of the kid's room briefly, "Parents fight occasionally kiddo." Without another word, Joker continued down the hall. Gabe burst out of his room and ran straight to his mother's, pounding on the door until she let him in.

"Mommy! What happened? did that man hurt you?" he cried, "I told him Iron Man would kill him if he did!"

"I'm okay baby," she said, comforting her son, "Come inside, we have a lot to talk about."  
Confused, but curious, Gabe followed his mother into her room and she began the long conversation about Joker's identity. There were lots of questions and she did what she could to answer them and she also emphasized that Joker would not hurt him as long he was good and not give a reason to make the clown angry. There was no crying from Gabe. He struggled to understand why Joker was his dad, but Sera promised that she would explain that to him when he was much older.

"Just for now, I need you to pretend that Joker is a friend when we're outside in public."

"Okay."

The two of the hugged one last time before leaving her room and going out into the kitchen. Gabe pushed a chair up to the counter and he fetched his cereal bowl from the cupboard and grabbed a spoon. He wanted cheerios today and Sera poured him a bowl and let him get his own milk. He settled down at the table to eat, occasionally staring at the man who was his new father. Sera joined her son at the table with two slices of toast and tea. "Gabe I have to leave soon for a show."

"Yay!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Gabe you have to stay home," she added.

"What? No!"

"Honey, you have to. It's part of a game."

"But I want to play with Charlie!" he whined.

"Gabriel, you have to stay here. It's the rules."

"I don't wanna..." Gabe then pursed his lips and brow furrowed. He was sulking.

After a long fight, Gabe wound up running to his room, upset. Sera could hear him throwing toys around and she began massaging her temples in frustration. Still, the show must go on and she prepared to leave.

Joker waited by the door and grabbed her around the waist before she could unlock the deadbolt. Her back was pressed to his chest and she could feel one of his rogue hands wandering up to her breasts. His fingers massaged through her shirt and he laid a set of kisses along her neck, "Remember sweetheart, you gave up all your rights to me."

She didn't respond, but let him continue as he pleased.

"When you get home, I'll be waiting for you," he said and he watched her disappear out the door. 

* * *

Later that evening Sera took her time driving home. There was only one more night left of Cats and then next week, she promised her friends she would meet them for tea at the local Starbucks before the auditions. So she had a week to practice and brought home a handful of music. Upon entering, she saw that all the lights were off except the kitchen. She wondered if Gabriel was all right and she kicked off her shoes before dropping her music and purse on the counter. She padded down the hallway lightly, turning on a light so she could see. She knocked on Gabe's door and the little boy answered, getting excited to see her.

"Mommy!" he squealed and hugged her leg. It appeared he'd forgotten about earlier.

"Did you eat anything?" she asked.

"Not right now, I had some pizza from the party earlier. Can I have some ice cream?"

"A little bit, did you eat anything healthy today?"

"Um..."

Sera sighed and took his hand, "C'mon, you can have a scoop but tomorrow you need to eat a little better. You can't have junk food all week." She brought him into the kitchen and pulled out the neopolitan ice cream from the fridge. She fully intended to spend the day cooking tomorrow so there were plenty of healthy leftovers for Gabe to eat. Joker could fend for himself. "Your new lessons will be in the mail this week."

Gabe was home schooled and in kindergarten. He only had partial weeks of lessons in the fall and was a little ahead of his classmates by already knowing his full alphabet, capability of counting to two hundred, and writing full sentences. He could also read at a second grade level. Sera expected that he would be doing first grade level work by the end of winter.  
She finished scooping a small bowl for him and gave him a spoon, "It's late baby, make sure you jump into the tub so we can get you cleaned up and then its bed time."

She spent the better part of an hour getting him ready for bed and intended to get her nightly tea going. Her voice was a little sore from singing as it normally was after a long day of performing. The honey infused tea was very soothing. Joker must have been waiting for her in the bedroom but he would have to wait longer because she felt very gross being covered in sweat and she still had her cat makeup on. She refilled the tub for herself and undressed. The water felt so good and her muscles relaxed. The bath salts smelled lovely; cloves and sage. She soaked for a few minutes before taking a cloth and washing away her gold and black makeup. Afterwards, she dipped her head underwater and came back up. Once she cleared the water from her eyes, she realized the overhead lights had been dimmed and she felt a sense of dread.

"You came home awfully late."

Sera heard the door close and the knob was locked. Joker wandered over to the edge of the tub and knelt down next to her.

"I had a glass of champagne with my friends. We always do after the last show of the night," she said.

"Ah, so you're starting the night early?" he teased.

"I don't plan to get drunk again." She began washing down her arms and shoulders.

Joker smiled and he started stripping off his clothes, shirt first and he tossed it to the hamper before removing his jeans. He had nothing on underneath, obviously not having much of a wardrobe in her home. Then he climbed into the oversized tub with her. She scrunched up her legs to allow him to get comfortable and then stretched them back out when his lower body submerged in the water. He took one of her feet and began to rub it. "Sore my lovely?"

"A little. My feet always get sore from dancing so much." She couldn't help but moan her approval when he hit a particular sore spot on the sole. After a few minutes, he switched to her other foot and did the same. She relaxed against the edge of the tub, leaning her head back and exposing her throat. She shut her eyes, relishing in his touch as his hands started slowly massaging up her calves and eventually her thighs. One of his fingers grazed her folds and she shuddered. She didn't reject his advance as he started to lean in and pressed his belly against hers.

He had a full blown erection pushing against her core but he ignored it for now, "Do I make you hot?"

She knew better than to say otherwise, but had to admit that his hands worked wonders, "What happens if I say yes?" she whispered.

Joker grinned, "Then I'll do this," he said quickly and connected his mouth with hers, catching her by surprise. As agreed upon, Sera didn't resist as he snaked his tongue into her mouth and started to explore while his hands slowly slid up from her thighs and to her waist. He picked her up and sat back, bringing her with him. He placed her in his lap so her body rested against his tumescent length.

Knowing she probably wasn't going to get out of this tonight, she may as well put forth an effort. She needed to be convincing for the sake of her son. She pressed him back into the edge of the tub and forced her tongue into his mouth, taking over dominance. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently tugging a strand here and there. Then she broke the kiss and moved her lips down his chin and along his throat. She made him tilt his head back so she could gain access to more flesh. Then her tongue slid out of her mouth and she licked along his jugular until she reached his hairline. Her mouth opened wider as she attached her lips to his skin and began sucking on it.

"Oh sweetheart..." Joker moaned as he felt a growing warmth in his groin. It was falling out of control and he liked it. Occasionally her teeth would nip him, eliciting signals to rush down his spine and encourage him to get a move on, but he held off, curious to see what she would do next. He brought his arms up and let them drape over the side of the tub as she continued to suck his neck.

While her mouth was busy, she dropped her hands under the water and started massaging his stomach and lower belly. Then her pelvis started to undulate against him, rubbing along his rock hard penis and making it harder for him to sit still.

"Shit..." he growled.

She felt she'd done enough to torture his neck and backed away. A deep red and purple mark was left behind, contrasting heavily with his white skin.

He adjusted his position in the tub slightly so that he was sitting up a bit straighter and he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer so her chest was right in his face. He then tiny fluttering kisses along her breast bone before moving slightly to the right and taking in her very swollen nipple. He nursed on it like an infant at first and then increased the pressure, doing the same as she did on his neck. Her skin was turning a deep shade of red and he could feel the tip of it becoming erect.

Sera threw her head back and her arms encircled his neck. It was getting impossible to drag this out any longer, however Joker had other ideas and encouraged her to slide back slightly so her legs were straddling his thighs and he pushed his hand between them until he felt her soft curls and eventually her folds. He spread apart her delicate nether lips and inserted one finger into her. She was damn near as tight as she was the first time he fucked her.  
He didn't want to spoil the mood, so he avoided asking her about it and continued pumping his digit, eventually joining it with a second. It was so damn difficult to get it up into her body but he persevered and forced it in. She made a small grunting sound but didn't stop him and she took her hands away from his torso and placed them on his shoulders to lift herself up. Joker's fingers slipped out of her and he grew disappointed with her move. His length became very lonely when she got off it.

Sera stood up out of the water. Before Joker could protest, she sat down on the edge of the tub opposite of him and spread apart her legs. He had a great view of her femininity and instantly dove forward across the tub. His sense were going nuts and he gripped onto his cock so he could masterbate. After staring madly at her labia, he dove in for the kill, sinking his tongue into her folds and drinking to his heart's content. She was a delectable flavor; a mild sweet and bitter combination...so pleasant to the senses. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, allowing her scent to fill his nostrils. His tongue dipped even deeper into her crevice and he was enjoying the mewls and groans she let out as he ate her. If he didn't do something soon, he would accidentally jerk himself into orgasm. He released himself and stopped licking her in favor of kneeling before her and grabbing her hips.

"I can't take it anymore sweetheart," he said as he lined himself up with her, "I need relief!"

"N-now..." she begged.

Seconds before Joker was about to enter her, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"M-mommy..." called a little voice from the other side.

Joker groaned, his mood killed. This kid was starting to drive him crazy, "Ignore him. He'll go back to bed." He then proceeded to readjusting her and rubbing his tip along her warm folds.

The knocking continued.

"I have to check on him," Sera said and she slipped out of Joker's grasp, much to his irritation, "Something may be wrong." She grabbed her bath robe off the door hook and put it on before opening the door and turning up the light so she could see him. What she saw shocked her.

Gabriel's face was deathly pale and his eyes were red. It looked like he was having some sort of reaction to something.

"Oh my god, Gabriel!"

The child gasped, struggling to pull in air and he was tearing up, "M-mom...my...can't brea..." he managed to say.

"Honey you can't breathe?"

He nodded profusely and gasped again.

"All right baby! Just stay calm, mommy's gonna get some clothes and we're taking you to the hospital!"

Joker climbed out of the tub and immediately grabbed for a towel and wrapped it around his waist before picking up his clothes and exiting the bathroom. Sera had carried Gabe into her room and deposited him on the bed while she quickly threw on her jeans and a fresh shirt. She wrapped her son in a blanket and began to carry him out towards the kitchen. Joker wound up doing the same and he followed the pair out into the kitchen. There was no way he was letting them go alone. In fact, he was suspicious of this. Was the kid truly sick? Or did Sera plan this?

Sera ran out the door and was about to lock up when Joker grabbed the door handle and prevented her from doing so.

"What're you doing?" she shouted, "We have to go!"

"I'm going with you. I don't trust you for a second and you better choose a different hospital because I'm not going there," Joker said blandly.

"We have to go to the emergency room!" Sera roared.

"I can't go to Gotham city hospital! Too many people there who might recognize me!" he screamed back.

Joker stepped outside into the cool air behind them while Sera quickly locked up and all three of them jogged to her car. Sera placed Gabriel into the back seat, laying him down and was about to climb into the driver's side, but Joker already took up residence in it. Pissed off, she hopped in the passenger side, "Drive." She thrust her keys into his hand.

"Where to?"

"There's a 'Goodnight Pediatrics' off of 47th and Sunset."

It didn't take long to get to the children's center. Luckily, they had all sorts of emergency tools and medicines for these occasions. Sera rushed Gabriel through the doors and to the front desk while Joker casually strolled in, not drawing attention to himself. Luckily it was a slow night. There was only the nurse at the desk.

"Ma'am my son is lethargic and showing signs of an allergic reaction!" Sera cried.

The nurse jumped to her feet and immediately looked over the gasping child. Then she quickly picked up her phone and called for a gurney. Two doctors rushed out into the waiting room and took Gabriel from Sera and placed him on the stretcher. One doctor slipped a pulse oximetry on his middle finger while the other fitted an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. Sera followed the doctors into the emergency room. Joker followed a good distance behind, eventually stepping inside the room and watched the doctors do their job. Sera was in tears. It was obvious that this wasn't a 'planned illness' when he saw a doctor injecting something into Gabriel's arm.

Sera stepped away as the doctors worked and took a seat next to Joker. She appeared to be calmer, but worry was written all over her face.

An hour later...

Gabriel was hooked up to a large machine and he had a tube leading into his mouth. Puffs of white steam rose up within the tube. It was near one o'clock in the morning. Gabe was out cold in the bed and Joker was sitting upright in his chair, asleep. Sera was laying across the clown's lap, out as well. There was a tapping at the door and both Joker and Sera jumped, waking each other up.

A nurse appeared, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said, "You're both the parents?" She was looking at Joker, confused by his appearance.

Sera nodded and awaited the nurse's news, "Is it an allergy?"

The nurse flipped through her clipboard, "After we reviewed your son's blood tests, we didn't find anything wrong with his blood pressure. However his chest x-rays were alarming. His bronchial tubes are heavily inflamed. Has your son been exposed to a lot of dust, smoke, or plants?"

"No, I keep my house very clean. No smokers are in the household and I don't keep plants," Sera replied.

"Well we found small traces of plant pollens lining his trachea and we believe that is the cause. It's triggered asthmatic symptoms," the nurse explained, "It's interesting, we can't identify what type of plant the spores originated from."

Sera's eyes widened and her first response was to glare at Joker, who only shrugged. ""What do you suggest for treatment?"

"Gabriel's doctor is already prescribing treatment. He'll be here shortly. But we'd like to watch Gabe for another hour or so to monitor him," the nurse said and she exited the room.  
Sera got up and neared her son, stroking his hair, "Great...asthma. Your spores are the problem you know," she said sternly to Joker.

"I didn't know they'd have an affect on the kid. That surprised me too. So don't get on my case about it!" he said angrily, but kept his voice low.

"Well then when we get home, I'm forbidding the use of your spores! I don't them killing our son!"

Joker grit his teeth and leapt out of his chair and pushed her up against a wall. His hand squashed around her jaw, "I'll be the one to determine whether I use spores or not. If you behave, then I'll have no need to use them."

The door creaked open and Joker quickly let go of Sera. The doctor had returned and was carrying a small stack of papers.

"These are Gabriel's new prescriptions. He should be just fine as long as he stays away from pollen. If he ever has an attack and he doesn't have his medicine, which hopefully won't ever be the case, anything caffeinated can help reduce symptoms. Make sure he always carries the albuterol."

After a brief explanation, the doctor checked Gabriel's vitals and smiled, "He's recovering nicely from the attack." He then exited the room, stating he will sign for Gabriel's release within the hour.

Sera read through the prescriptions, "Symbicort and albuterol. One is a controller and the other an emergency medication. Great. Now we have to be even more careful..."

To be continued...


	22. Chapter 20

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 20

Audition (Warning - monstrously graphic, I show no mercy...)

It was the day before the auditions. Sera had been in the basement practicing daily, using an old piano to key out the melody as best she could. She did attend a few rehearsals the last two days with her closest friends. She'd also been out to celebrate the ending of Cats. The final show was last Wednesday and she went with the cast and crew to a club for a private party. She didn't have very much fun and couldn't stay long because her son was not feeling very well and she worried every time she left him home with that psychopath. She could only hope he would keep his word and not harm her son.

Lately Joker left her alone, knowing she was trying to focus on her audition and she was spending as much time with Gabe as possible, helping with his homework. Plus she spent the better part of the week sanitizing the house. It was clear she was very angry with the clown as she stayed in Gabe's room for several nights.

Joker was sitting in the living room, laying on his back and lifting a heavy sixty-five pound box. He'd been so bored lately that he'd begun exercising. He needed to start preparations for his coming-out party. His legs remained pretty strong but he wanted to build up strength in his arms and chest. In the off chance that Batman happened to show up, he wanted to be a better match for the dark knight. Plus they were getting older, so doing a little lifting wouldn't hurt. He dropped the box to his side and rolled over. He would have to make Sera purchase a bench with weights because the box wasn't heavy enough for him to build muscle. He got up and retrieved his shirt from the couch and put it on.

Gabe was seated at the table working on his lessons and stayed completely silent. Since his time in the hospital, the child hadn't said much. His inhaler remained close by. The week was rough on the kid and he used his inhaler more times than Sera preferred, even after she cleaned the house over and over. The doctor said now that the asthma made its appearance, it would be prevalent throughout his life.

Joker decided to go into the basement and make his demands known. He skipped down the steps towards the underground level and gently pushed open the door. Sera was striking a few keys to stay in tune as she ran through the lyrics.

_'Masquerade!  
Paper faces on parade  
Masquerade!  
Hide your face so the world will never find you  
Masquerade!  
Every face a different shade  
Masquerade!  
Look around, there's another mask behind you.'_

Sera was about to move on to the next line but was interrupted. She glanced up at the door to see Joker standing there.

"Bravo sweetheart and good lyrics. I like masquerades," he said and stepped inside. He wandered over to the piano and took a seat next to her on the bench, "Continue." He gestured to her.

Sera flipped to the following page and sang the next few lines.

_'Flash of mauve  
Splash of puce  
Fool and king  
Ghoul and goose  
Green and black  
Queen and priest  
Trace of rouge  
Face of beast  
Faces!  
Take your turn, take a ride  
On the merry-go-round  
in an inhuman race  
Eye of gold  
True is false  
Who is who?  
Curl of lip  
Swirl of gown  
Ace of hearts  
Face of clown  
Faces!  
Drink it in, drink it up  
Till you've drowned  
In the light  
In the sound  
But who can name the face?'_

Joker laughed out loud, "Who knew I'd be present in this music! I may have to come see this show!" He nearly fell off the bench.

"What are you doing down here anyways?" she asked and began rearranging her music.

He regained composure. "I'm down here to ask you where you keep your credit card."  
"Why?"

"I plan to order a few things online."

"What kinds of things? Nothing illegal I hope."

"Oh...just some weights, a bench, other assorted toys."

Sera gathered up her papers and stood up, "I need a break. What time is it?"

Joker shrugged, "Who knows?" he said and followed her back up to the first floor. Sera dropped her music on the counter and fetched her purse.

"I don't keep credit cards. They're too dangerous and detrimental," she said as she took out her wallet, "Use my debit card. I keep a limit of cash flow on it, so it can't be abused. The max is five-thousand. Try not to spend it all because I need to go grocery shopping today." She dropped the card into his waiting hand and immediately went into the refrigerator for some leftover soup.

"Five thousand? That's your daily allowance? Geez sweetheart, you must be a millionaire."

"Broadway pays well," she replied as she placed a soup filled tupperware in the microwave.

Joker left her alone in the kitchen in favor of sliding out her laptop from under the couch and do a little bit of shopping. Besides a set of weights, he needed materials for creating his old weapons...

* * *

Sera was scrambling to get everything together. Her music and resume were sitting right next to her purse. She did her hair and makeup nice as it was important to make a good first impression for the new director. Charlie recommended that all who tried out to show up at ten am. It was now nine-fifteen.

Gabriel watched his mother run around the house looking for her good shoes and her raincoat. It was pouring today, meaning she would have luck on her side. After checking under her bed, she ripped out a pair of simple black dress shoes.

"Found them," she said, relieved. She slipped them on and ran back into the living room, "Honey have you seen my lucky necklace?"

"You're wearing it mommy," Gabe said and he pointed to her neck.

Her hand flew up to her chest and she touched a little leaf pendant, "Oh, well then I'm set. I gotta go baby. I'll be home in a few hours," she said as she gathered up her music and purse before running out the door.

Joker relaxed on the couch, newspaper in hand and he was smirking. There was a brand new article about the unknown villain. The guy broke into Wayne Enterprises and made it out with classified data and several million dollars worth of biological technology. Civilians report seeing the villain battling it out with the Batman, so that destroyed all rumors of the dark knight turning a new leaf. There was also an attached photo. However it was taken from far away and the figures were blurry. "Of course," Joker said, annoyed that he couldn't make them out very well, especially the villain.

Gabriel wandered into the living and approached the couch. He stood there just staring at Joker, a little nervous to make a request. Eventually the clown dropped his paper to his lap in frustration and looked at the boy.

"What is it?" Joker barked.

"Can I play outside?"

"No," Joker said quickly and returned to his paper.

"Please? I'm getting bored!" Gabe whined.

"I said no."

Gabe fell against the couch and gripped his sleeve, begging, "Please, please, please! I wanna go to the park across the street!"

"It's raining outside!" Joker yelled.

"Mommy usually takes me out to play in the puddles! Please!"

"It's the middle of fall, it's cold outside. No. The last thing I need is to deal with a sicker kid!" Joker tossed his newspaper aside and sat up, only to see the little boy tearing up just like the time he asked for the kielbasa. Joker rolled his eyes and sighed, "All right, we'll go for a walk." He figured it wouldn't kill him to get some fresh air, "Get your coat."

"Yay!" Gabe shouted and ran to his room to get his raincoat.

Joker got up and went into the kitchen to slide on a pair of shoes. They also belonged to Sera's ex. The guy had small feet, but Joker had no choice until his new shoes came in the mail. He just crushed the back of the heel down and slid them on like slippers. He took down an umbrella from the back of the door and waited for the kid. "Hurry up shorty!"

Gabe came back wearing his red and gold jacket with a hood and had on his rain boots. He had his inhaler in his hand and waited for Joker to open the door. Once outside, Gabe bounded down the steps and onto the driveway as Joker reached above Sera's door and retrieved a spare key from under the wood frame to lock up. Then the two of them were off. Joker carried the umbrella low to assist with hiding his face and he strolled down the driveway with Gabe in tow. Every puddle they passed, the kid took every opportunity to jump in it. After the initial splash, Joker learned fast to stay three steps back. His pant leg was soaked.

Eventually they passed a couple of chain restaurants, one for chinese, another had middle eastern food. Gabe grew really excited and took off into the middle eastern one.

"Hey!" Joker shouted, "Get your ass back out here!" When Gabe didn't return, Joker grew angry. He couldn't go in after him right away. The place was packed and too risky. He peered into the window and spotted the kid at the register talking to a cashier and it looked as though Gabe pulled a twenty out of his pocket. Where the hell did he get that from? Minutes later, the cashier reached way over the counter and handed Gabe a bag and a small cup of some random drink. Then Gabe bounded back outside and put his drink on the ground to start digging through the bag.

"What the hell were you doing?" Joker asked, "You're gonna cause me some serious-"

"I got you one!" Gabe said happily and held out a foiled wrapped food item.

He hesitated briefly, but Joker took it, "What is it?"

"It's that stuff they were eating at the end of Avengers! I got one too!" Gabe said and he tore his own food out of the bag before tearing away the foil.

He saw Gabe's unwrapped food, "Schawarma?" The kid plowed through his sandwich, looking extremely happy. It had to be schawarma. Joker saw the movie at least a hundred times this past week. He'd be able to recognize the dish anywhere. For now he just carried his uneaten sandwich and moved on while Gabe chewed away at his food and occasionally sipped from his cup.

* * *

Sera had just finished her audition with the new director, the lead caster, and her manager Charlie. She felt it went pretty good and that she had a shot at receiving the part of La Carlotta, the diva. Her friends waited backstage, each going in one at a time to try out for a desired role. There were also some new people looking for a part and Sera had the pleasure of meeting a few of them. Now she was heading home and ready for a relaxing mug of tea and some desperately needed chocolate.

When she arrived home, she saw that Gabe and Joker were soaking wet. Joker was just standing around watching her son play in the puddles and rolling around in the mud, "Oh my god, you let him play out in this weather?"

"Yeah! I had fun!" Gabe cried and he waved around his jacket.

"Get your butt in the house and into the tub!" Sera shouted; pointing her finger to the back door.

A very disheartened Gabe slowly ascended the porch and went inside while Sera turned face towards Joker, "Are you mad letting him play outside in this? He could get sick again!"

Joker laughed, "Now I know what it's like to be married! You are way too uptight sweetheart. He's fine!"

"He's filthy!"

"He's a boy! Boys are supposed to be filthy! Just look at me..." Joker winked and approached Sera, grabbing her around the waist, "I was going stir crazy being indoors all the time. Your kid dragged me out of the house and it did a number on my spirit. I'm feeling feisty..."

Sera pushed away from him, "Yeah well, out here I'm getting soaked and-"

"Oooh kinky!"

All she could do is growl and stomp her way up the steps and into the house. The cackling Joker followed her in and he kicked off his muddy shoes and threw them on the patio before closing the door to keep the heat in.

Sera already had the tub filling up while Gabe moped into the bathroom and she quickly pulled off his dirty clothes and made him get into the water. "I'm so mad at you," she said as she began washing his hair and scrubbing the debris from his hair, "No dessert tonight after dinner and you're going to bed early!"

"Mom!"

"No exceptions!" she said angrily as she poured clean water over his head to rinse away the suds. She ignored all of Gabe's pleading and finished cleaning him from head to toe before getting him out and wrapping him up in a towel and forcing him into his room to put on pajamas. "I don't want you going out into that weather, it's getting cold out and you were sick this week!"

Gabe pouted, protruding his bottom lip, "I'm sorry mommy." He gave her the most innocent look but she wasn't falling for it.

"Into your pajamas now," she demanded and then left him alone to change while she went back out into the living room where she found Joker crashing on the couch, "You also need a shower before you get my furniture filthy."

"You know, you were right sweetheart. You must have started this week because you've got pms written all over your face!" Joker teased.

Frustrated, Sera collapsed in her armchair.

"I'll bet you are dying to have me strip down again," Joker said and he rolled off the couch and crawled over to her. He pushed her knees apart and leaned between them and placed his arms on her belly, crossing them before resting his chin, "I love pissing you off."

"I'm not enjoying it, now get off. My son will be coming out here in a second and I don't need him seeing this," she barked.

"Ya know, I'm getting real tired of this attitude. Didn't we have a bargain? Or need I remind you again when your son comes out here?" he threatened and reached his hand up underneath her skirt and harshly squeezed her thigh.

Sera closed her mouth, suddenly remembering that she did strike a deal with him. The day was so stressful that she'd forgotten everything. "I'm sorry."

"I know the perfect way you can make it up to me," Joker said and he backed away slowly, "But that will have to wait till later because I'm starving." Joker then moved into the kitchen and took something out of the fridge and returned to the living room. He was eating from a foil wrapper, "Thank your son for picking this up for me, it's not bad hot or cold."

Ignoring him, Sera picked up the remote from the stand nearby and turned on the television, immediately flipping to the news. There was another sighting and this time, bodies were found. "This new villain is getting serious." The story followed a break-in at Chryogene and almost all of the day staff was killed.

Joker's brow furrowed in irritation. This person was getting on his last nerve, "I will get rid of that bastard for stealing my crown."

"You keep saying you're coming back, when will that happen?" Sera asked.

"I already told you, you won't know when."

"I'll bet you don't even know," she mumbled but shortly regretted saying it. Joker was in her face and gripping her shoulders. They were nose to nose; red eyes boring into blue.

"That does it. I was gonna be nice, but you fucked up sweetheart and you are out of room for mistakes. You broke some of your own rules, now I'm gonna break some of mine." He then backed off her, knowing that Gabe was coming.

The remainder of the day was spent in silence. Gabe was fed and watching his movie for the umpteenth time while sitting with his Avenger toys all in a row. Sera felt incredibly uncomfortable sitting in her chair having Joker stare at her for the last hour. She was downright terrified and he could sense it, which made him grin. Her legs felt like jello when it was time to put Gabe to bed and she took her time doing so, prolonging what was to come.

Joker followed her all the way to Gabe's room and once the boy's door was closed, he grabbed Sera's arm and dragged her into the bathroom. He locked the door behind them.

Sera cowered into a corner, "Please Joker, don't...like you said, I'm just pmsing! I didn't mean what I said!"

"Now, now sweetheart. You had your chance," he replied and rushed in for the kill. He grasped her around the neck and lifted her off the floor to where her feet no longer touched. Then his other hand began ripping apart her blouse, bra, and skirt until she was in her underwear, "No mercy sweetheart..." He then looked at her bathrobe hanging on the door and figured he'd put it to use. He carried her over by the throat and let her dangle from his fingertips while he slipped the rope from the waist of the robe. Then he dropped her to her feet, "Turn around and hands behind back."

Not wanting to piss him even further she did as he asked while he started wrapping the rope around her wrists very tightly and then he pushed her forward towards the shower.

"I love that your walk-in shower is gigantic otherwise this would have gotten very messy. Now then, lay down."

Sera sat down on the tile floor and lay back until her head was uncomfortably against the hard surface; her hands crushed beneath her. Joker then stripped off his clothes and sat on her thighs, holding them down with his heavy weight and he reached into his pocket for something. Her eyes widened when he brought forth a folding knife and she was about to scream but Joker's hand flew up to her mouth.

"Don't scream. The last thing I need is that kid disturbing us again. You make a sound and my hand just might slip," he uttered and brought the knife up to her throat, "You want your kid to become an orphan before he turns seven?"

She was sobbing by this point. She read the files and knew what Joker had done to the other girl but this was probably going to be a lot worse. Eve took it in the back. Sera was lying on her back meaning Joker intended to...

Then the knife connected with her lower belly and he began carving into her flesh. She wanted to scream so badly as the knife was dragged in several directions. He spent so much time and care into each cut and grinned, enjoying her squeals and desperate attempts to keep her voice down. There's no way she wanted Gabe to ever know of this.

Blood seeped from the wounds and stained his legs, "Why am I getting a sense of deja vu?" he giggled and continued slicing her. He made an effort not to carve into her tattoos and stayed below them. He dragged down her panty line to squeeze in the last bit of carvings. When he stopped, he admired his handy work, "There, that should be nice and permanent!"

Sera looked down at her mutilated belly but couldn't see what he'd done. There was too much blood covering up the wound. It hurt so much and she hoped that he was finished with her but Joker only back off of her a short ways.

"I would have done it on your back, but I accidentally almost killed the last girl that way so we'll stick to smaller lacerations on a fleshier part of you. He then leaned in until his face was centimeters from hers, "Let this be a lesson to you sweetheart." He then connected his lips with hers, attempting to be a loving partner but she knew better.

She grew calm, grateful that he stopped and would likely untie her.

He felt her sigh of relief but broke the kiss, "Oh we aren't finished yet my lovely."

Her body tensed expecting more cutting but Joker put the knife outside the stall and he then slipped down her body until his face was lined up with her bleeding stomach. Sera panicked and grew disgusted when his tongue slid out of his mouth and licked at her wound. He swallowed the warm fluid and grinned like a vampire would have after biting a victim. He did this three more times and in the process hooked his fingers around her stained panties, pulling them down her legs and throwing them outside. Unfortunately for her, she truly did start her cycle and she was humiliated when he inspected her and touched her folds. She could hear his laughs as he began removing the evidence by the string and threw that out of the stall as well before returning his face to her center. He connected his mouth to the wounds again and slid downwards until Sera sat up in panic.

"Wait, what are you-"

"Lay still!" he shouted, momentarily breaking away from her and pushing her back down.

She squirmed and writhed, trying to get away from him but his hands wrapped around her thighs and nails dug into her flesh. Then what she dreaded most came to fruition. Tongue met with boiling hot folds and Sera begged and pleaded for him to stop with this.

"This is unsanitary! Stop it you sick fuck!" she cried.

Joker stopped his fluid motions to yell at her, "Shut up! One more word is all I need...try me!" he growled and reconnected his tongue to her. To be truthful, he didn't know why he was doing this and felt it was probably to see how far he could push himself to torture someone. If this disturbed her, then he'd done his job. He did tend to go to great lengths to screw people up. Then another thought crossed his mind and he smiled against her core before bringing two fingers into the picture. He stuffed them into her, tracing them around her canal. They slid around easily and he began pumping them, bringing out more blood and sexual fluids. Then wanted to worsen the situation for her and withdrew his fingers after a few more thrusts. He discontinued sucking her soft folds and sat up to pull her forward. She was seated against him, her head resting in his palm and his very bloodied hand just inches from her face.

"Isn't it lovely?" he asked and he rubbed his reddened fingers together.

She could see stains of pink all along his jaw and dribbling down his neck. Sera wanted to be sick, "Why are you doing this to me?" she moaned, but Joker didn't answer...only demanded something worse.

"Open up..." he commanded, voice low and intense.

Sera gasped and clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head profusely.

"No? Then you leave me no choice..." he said before forcing her jaw upwards and he crushed his lips to hers in an open mouth kiss. He deployed his deepest pink spore cloud into her. The spores ran all the way down into her lungs and evaporated.

Her mind clouded over with an intense lust and she lost her ability to think clearly. Her body grew warm and limbs all turned to jello. She had a sense of urgency...

Joker made sure she was completely 'out of it' before he coaxed her lips apart again and slid his red fingers into her mouth. There was no resistance. A part of her was under heavy seduction and the other half was screaming but she couldn't control her body. He rubbed his digits all over her tongue until he was satisfied and then withdrew them. Before he carried on, he wanted to do something even more sadistic than he's ever done before and he brought his wrist up to his mouth and clamped down with his teeth, breaking the skin and flinching. He tasted traces of his blood and started to suck profusely until a good flow was prevalent. Then he watched his blood drip down his arm and happily held it out to her, "I've had a share of yours, now it's your turn." Chuckling, he had to admit it was weird of him to have a blood fetish, something newly discovered.

She didn't reject his arm and allowed him to press it to her mouth. He found that he was getting an erection with every suck of her gentle lips.

The warm blood seeped down the back of her throat and she couldn't help but want more of it, no matter how hard her subconscious told her to stop. The coppery flavor lingered in her mouth long after he took his arm away. It was getting impossible to keep his instincts under control and he harshly grabbed her around the waist. He lifted her up and shoved her against the wall while he knelt between her legs. Then he reached up towards the shower handle and turned on the water. Both of them were sprayed down with hot tap water. It washed away the blood stains all over their bodies and soaked their hair.

Joker was grinning as he reached between them and dragged his fingers over her clitoris, making her back arch and she thrust her head back. His length was centimeters from her entrance and he began stroking himself all the while his eyes were focused on the fleshy part of her neck. He lined up his cock with her entrance and then slid it partially into her body while he brought his mouth down on her throat.

Sera groaned as his length became fully enveloped within her body and released a gasp as his teeth broke her skin. It couldn't be helped when she suddenly felt a surge of pleasure run down her spine and she returned the strong bite to his shoulder, making him grunt. After a few minutes of sucking the other off, Joker started a moderate pace of fucking her. She was super tight, almost like the first time he had her. He pushed against her, trying to get up as much blood as he could before letting go of her neck. She followed suit and leaned back, allowing water to wash down her chest.

Joker then brought his lips down upon hers and they shared another deep kiss, blood mixing with saliva as their tongues maneuvered around each other. As they moved as one, Sera began to feel a deep ache within her core and unsure of what caused it. It wasn't the pleasant feeling that was expected to come with having sex. The spores ensured that she couldn't complain and her body just kept moving. It didn't matter to him at this point whether she was enjoying herself or not, he only gave a damn about punishing her and he sped up as he felt his orgasm steadily building. When he grew very close he wanted to do one more act of humiliation and since she was under the control of the spores, he didn't worry about her getting any ideas. He pulled out of her and forced her to her knees.

"Suck it," he demanded.

Sera had no choice. She looked at his heavily blood stained length and felt a horrid feeling in her stomach but her body betrayed her and she accepted him in her mouth. He slowly thrust into her as she took him. Tears were falling down her cheeks and she gagged with disgust. Every movement was painful and she didn't like how he was grabbing her hair and pulling her forwards and backwards.

Then he felt his orgasm flood his body and shoot hot semen into her mouth. He tugged her hair, ensuring she couldn't back off. This forced her to swallow every ounce. When he finally recovered, he released her hair and watched as she slowly slipped away from him and collapsed to the floor in a heap, broken and in severe pain.

Joker had a monstrously huge smile on his face as he stood up and began rinsing away all traces of the blood and fluids. He casually washed his hair and body while humming happily. Sera just lay there, eyes only half open and her legs cinched together as the pain began to claim her. The spores were beginning to wear off but Joker saw no reason to keep her tied up. She couldn't do anything anyways so he unraveled the rope and tossed it aside. He was right, she wasn't going to move. After he finished cleaning himself up, he squeezed the water form his hair and stepped out of the shower, leaving her there.

"Now you just stay there and think about what you've done," he said, waving a finger at her and then wrapping a towel around his waist. He then dug in the cabinets underneath the sink and found a first aid kit and retrieved a large band-aid and gauze. He poured some peroxide on his wrist and wrapped it up and them placed the band-aid on the bite near his neck. She certainly dug deep with those teeth of hers.

Her sat down at her vanity and picked up a brush. He started running it through his hair. Then he picked up a bottle of lotion and slathered a bit up and down his arms, still humming his happy tune. Next he found a little bottle of body splash and read the label, "Oooh, very nice. Vanilla sugar splash." He sprayed a little on his chest and breathed in the scent, "Lovely. Now I'm all pretty!" Afterwards he retrieved another towel from the cabinets and started drying his hair. He learned a thing or two from Sera in the past two weeks about his locks and actually braided it down his back. It was a lot nicer to have it like this than to roll around with wet hair in a bed.

Afterwards, Joker slipped on his jeans and switched off the bathroom light, leaving Sera alone in the shower, water still pelting her injured body. He went to the master bedroom and stripped down naked again and crawled into the bed, content and ready for sleep.

It was two in the morning when Sera finally came out of her trance. The water pelting her was freezing an she dragged herself to her knees and yelped. Her inner legs and the area surrounding her labia was in tremendous pain. She cried silently while holding her stomach. She'd forgotten about the lacerations to her belly and suddenly felt the sharp pains eating away at her. They needed to be cared for quickly and she suffered through the cold shower, washing her body as best she could until she felt clean and turned off the water. Her first aid kit was tossed on the floor and had been accessed. Luckily she kept a lot of supplies. She picked up the kit and pulled out extra gauze and antibacterial ointment.

Her strength was depleted trying to stand, but once she got a good glimpse in the mirror, she was horrified to see the multiple cuts in her abdomen spelled out a crude and disturbing message:

'JOKER WAS HERE'

It sat right under her star tattoos and just an inch above her labia. The cuts still bled and she knew it was going to be a terrible scar. She cried knowing that she would never be able to show this part of her body to anyone else in the world. She needed to hide it from her eyes and started treating the wounds, remembering key procedures from her training. Within twenty minutes, she had plenty of ointment and proper bandaging of the injury and she grabbed her robe from the door and put it on, holding the front closed with her hands. She inspected the bite mark on her neck and decided a simple bandaid would be sufficient for it since it stopped bleeding. She slathered ointment over the marks and covered it.

At this point, she had to warm up and sleep. The bathroom would have to wait until tomorrow for cleaning. Sera limped her way to her room and didn't bother removing her robe before climbing into bed.

She stayed near the edge of the mattress, knowing Joker was on the other side of the bed. She pulled up the comforter and relaxed her head into the pillow. Sleep nearly took over, but fate said otherwise...

An arm draped and curled around her and she heard Joker whisper into her ear, "Your hair is soaked sweetheart, sit up."

She tried but couldn't. Her torso hurt so badly that Joker sat himself up and assisted her upright. Her body began shaking when he touched her; frightened that he might hurt her again.

"You know, I don't have to hurt you like that." His arms snaked themselves around her shoulders and he slowly opened the robe. His fingers slid downwards and around her chest to toy with her nipples, "All you have to do is behave. I'll treat you nicely," he said softly.

She cringed, but did nothing to stop his hands.

"I can be a really good lover sweetheart. Will you promise to behave?"

Those hands wandered down lower and brushed against the gauze on her belly, causing her to gasp.

"Will you?" he repeated.

Sera nodded her head, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Say it," Joker said and he started placing tiny kisses along the side of her neck.

She peered into the darkness and felt trapped, "Y-yes..." she mumbled and allowed Joker to push the robe off of her. He tossed it to the floor and started raking his fingers through her hair and then braided it for her while she sat in silence, listening to his promises of being a perfect gentleman. He found a rubber band in a nearby nightstand and tied off the end before laying her back down and pulling the covers up on both of them. He pulled her close without a complaint from her lips.

Sera was fearful but too tired to do anything and she allowed Joker to nestle his face against hers. The only positive in this situation was that his body was warm. It was putting her to sleep. Dreams never came...

_To be continued..._


	23. Chapter 21

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 21

Phone Call

There was a loud scream coming from the hallway and it startled Sera awake. The second she moved she cringed and stiffened her suffering body. Joker was also rudely awakened by the shouts and he was sitting up, rubbing his eyes and wondering what the hell was going on.

Then the bedroom door burst open and Gabriel flung himself onto the bed. Sera grasped the sheets, keeping her nude body covered up.

"Momma! The bathroom! There's blood on the floor!" he screeched and then looked at his mother's face, "Mommy? You look sick..."

Sera calmed herself down, "I know the bathroom's a mess baby. Mommy cut herself last night by accident. Just use the half bath to brush your teeth. Can you get your own breakfast today? I'm not feeling good at all sweetness."

"Okay," Gabe said and he rolled of the bed and slowly padded out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

Sera carefully rolled back onto her stomach but found that was the worst position and returned to her back. There was no way she was going to get back to sleep.

"Might want to consider buying some new sheets sweetheart," Joker said and he lifted up the fabric to where she could see it. There was a huge blood stain on the cream colored sheet and she groaned.

"Dammit!" Sera cursed, pissed at Joker for cutting her up. Now her favorite Egyptian cotton sheets were ruined, "If it wasn't for the damn injury, I-"

"This isn't from my artwork dearest..." Joker grinned and he pointed to the relatively clean bandages on her belly and then yanked down the sheet to reveal her red streaked thighs.

She completely forgot about her period and wore nothing to bed to spare her bed set. In the back of her mind she knew that he had to be at fault somewhat. There was far too much blood on the bed to suggest it was her period alone. She suspected she had a few internal lacerations, judging by her pain. At this point she had to get up before she made an even bigger mess but found that the instant she tried to sit up, her belly would pound and she wailed in great pain.  
"Awe...someone need help?" Joker asked, knowing she must be wanting to kill him. He slid off the bed and pulled on a pair of flannel pants.

Sera didn't say a word to him as he scooped up her legs and picked her up off the bed, still wrapped in one of the sheet and he carried her into the bathroom, avoiding the puddle of blood on the floor by the shower. He set her down in the tub and turned on the water, regulating the temperature for her and plugging the drain. Sera unwrapped herself from the sheet and put the sopping material over the side of the tub. It would need to be tossed later. She leaned against the back of the tub and relaxed as the water rose slowly. Her bandages needed to be taken off and the wound cleaned so she peeled away at the gauze until her freshly sliced skin came into view. It was inflamed and crusted over. The water rushed over it, taking away the dried blood and soothing the cuts.

"That'll heal over nicely," Joker said, seemingly proud of his work. It was completely twisted how mesmerized he was by the sight of her blood. He reached into the water and gently traced his finger along the swelling skin, "I can't tell you how attractive you look when you're in pain."

"I don't see how anyone could. You mutilated me," she said weakly.

"I'm different than those other men. I find pleasure in other people's misfortunes," Joker chuckled.

She sighed. There would be no reasoning with a psycho.

Joker shut off the water and sat along the edge of the tub, helping to clean her up. He unbraided her hair and did a thorough scrubbing of her locks and he conditioned it. Then she rinsed off and relaxed for a few more minutes while Joker fetched her fresh clothes. Getting out of the tub was a chore for her, but with assistance she managed. She took care of her feminine needs and started caring for her wounds. Fresh ointment was applied and Joker wrapped up her belly. She wore a baggy shirt to allow air to circulate. Then she tied her hair up into a tight bun.

She needed to lean against the walls to support herself while she stepped down the hallway. Gabe was completing his lessons as expected and nibbling on a toaster strudel. Sera made it to the kitchen and saw a fresh pot of coffee. If anything, at least the Joker was good for something. An empty mug waited for her nearby and she poured herself a cup. The black liquid had no flavor to her. The bitterness of last night drowned out her taste for the exquisite french roast, but she was grateful for the caffeine rush.

Afterwards, she stumbled to the table and pulled out a chair, dreading the task of sitting. She took it very easy, but the moment her bottom touched, she flinched and let out a tiny "Ah!" so not to rouse her son's suspicions. When she accomplished the difficult task, she peered across the kitchen and saw that Joker was smirking at her while sipping his coffee. His expression led her to believe that he was taunting her to defy him again. She could almost read it; like he was saying 'Push me a little further and I'll send you to the depths of hell next time...' Of course, what he truly was thinking, she'll never know. Throughout breakfast, all the man did was stare at her and she felt she would go crazy.

That's when her phone started to ring.

Joker giggled and then picked up the receiver, knowing Sera wouldn't get there quick enough, "Hello?"

Sera panicked. What if that was one of her friends? Or worse, a relative? No, her relatives would never call her...

Joker carried on the conversation briefly and then held the phone away from his mouth, covering up the receiver with his palm, "It's for you..." he teased.

Well duh, she only lived there! Sera held out her hand to accept the phone but Joker refused to hand it over.

"Joker, I need to take that," she said, signaling him to give the phone to her.

He smiled, "But we're all curious to know what this conversation is about," he said and then pushed the button on the phone for speaker.

Sera sighed and figured it wasn't worth the argument so she answered the call, "This is Sera..."

_"Good morning Sera! This is John Dobson, we met yesterday at the Gotham City Theatre. How are you?"_

"Oh! The casting director! Hello!" Sera replied. Finally something positive today, "I'm fine, how are you?" She tried her hardest to sound happy and not in pain.

_"Very well, thanks. So Sera, we finished all auditions and assigned our roles to most actors except for a select few. We'd like to invite you back for a second audition and then perhaps dinner with the directors when we've finished making our decisions. You can bring a guest, but we'll be attending an adult dinner so they must be eighteen and over."_

"Okay, when will the audition be held?"

_"Tomorrow night at five pm and the dinner will be Friday night at seven. We've set reservations for Le Bernardin so please dress appropriately."_

"That sounds great, I look forward to both!"

_"We're excited as well, we will see you tomorrow night."_

"Thank you!" Sera replied, delighted.

Joker hung up the phone, "That sounded promising."

"Calling me back for a second audition and an invitation to a big dinner means that my chances of getting the part of La Carlotta are very high."

"Yay mommy!" Gabe said excitedly, "Are you going to play a bad guy?"

"La Carlotta is a diva, not a bad guy hun."

"Awe...mommy you never play any fun roles!"

Sera chuckled, "Well I have to play the role I'm given. Maybe I'll get a bad guy role in future shows."

"You're too wimpy to be a bad guy," Joker interrupted, hoping to get a rise out of her.

She frowned at him, "I'm perfectly capable of adapting my skills to playing such a role."

Joker laughed, "I still think you're wrong for the part. I like you better as a submissive damsel in distress. It suits you best."

"Whatever. I've to prepare for tomorrow. Gabe I'll be rehearsing most of the day so come downstairs only when you're hungry or there's an emergency." Sera then gently pulled herself up and carefully limped to the basement door, music in hand and descended down the steps. How she was going to do this second audition in her current condition was beyond her. She would have to suffer through it or dope herself up on pain killers.

Joker followed her down the stairs and sat down next to her on the bench, "So about this dinner...I'll be needing a nice suit huh?"

"Who said you were going?" she asked.

"I did, just now. Your son is obviously underage and you can bring a date. Naturally that means me." He winked at her.

"You'll stand out like a sore thumb."

"Not with a getup. I'm the king of disguises. I'll do something simple so my good looks aren't covered up."

Sera didn't say much else, but spread out her music and started keying out the melody for 'Prima Donna'. She cleared her throat and belted out a few notes, putting a lot of effort into La Carlotta's parts.

"How did you learn to do that?" Joker asked.

"Do what?"

"That wobble in your voice?"

"You mean a vibrato? Lots of training. Anyone can develop one with a proper coach...even you."

He chuckled, "Who knows."

She practiced her heart out, even with Joker occasionally interrupting her. It was unusual for him to be so interested in her music. She spent at least four hours singing until Gabe finally came down asking for grilled cheese and fruit punch. Sera felt she'd done enough to warrant her some time away for lunch and she made a couple of sandwiches for them all. Her nerves were starting to get the better of her as the day progressed.

* * *

Eleven pm...

Breaking into Chryogene was a breeze, as it always was. The security was increased but stealth and skill took precedence. The last of the components for the final phase had been obtained. He had been stalking the company for months and finally broke their system codes. His cell began to beep, signifying a call and he removed it from his pack.

"Seven checking in," he said, voice scrambled by a crypto unit, "I have the final properties of chlorogene and bringing the last sample back to base."

A voice from the other end of the cell phone gave its approval, "Well done Seven. Please standby for pickup."

"Understood," Seven replied and waited patiently for a helicopter to pick him up.

Seven carefully wrapped the glass case filled with chlorogene samples with a long piece of cotton and placed it into his pack. His missions were over for now. Ra's Al Ghul designated him to specifically target chemical factories and Wayne Enterprises for support materials. He must have assisted with stealing several million dollars worth of equipment.

The helicopter would be landing somewhere along this rooftop so Seven had to keep an eye out for red flickering lights. It was hazy tonight but the chopper did not use searchlights and relied on radar alone to avoid detection. They had to be quick each night as the Batman was on to them.

Seven could see the red lights in the distance but it wasn't quick enough. A batarang soared past his head and he quickly spun around while drawing his sword, preparing to defend himself. The dark knight stood on the building ledge, ready to throw another set of the small devices.

"So we meet again," Seven said.

"You will be behind bars tonight," Batman replied. He stared down his enemy, recognizing the armor Seven wore. It was reminiscent of the armor he himself wore when he trained under Ra's Al Ghul. Black leather and metal armor. Black steel-toe boots, matching gloves, and gauntlets. Seven's hood hid his entire face and the number seven was embroidered along his upper left shoulder. Batman's target was not only Seven himself, but the bag he carried as well.

"You won't have any lucky shots this time Batman!" Seven yelled and charged the dark knight. The last time the two of them battled, Seven took a batarang to the thigh, slicing through a soft spot in his armor. It took many stitches to close up and was currently still healing. It didn't stop Seven from performing his job.

The sword came crashing down onto Batman's forearm, but met with metal spines and an inch of armor. Batman pushed Seven back, sword and all and rushed forward to attempt to send a kick to his stomach. He missed. Seven back flipped out of range and was about to return charge, but the helicopter hovered overhead and sent a rope ladder down. He clutched onto it and was lifted high into the air.

It wouldn't stop Batman from chasing down the enemy and he called in for backup. Within minutes his full suit of armor was called into battle and he leapt inside. He tracked the helicopter as far as he could; miles outside of Gotham but had to stop when the suit's power supply was depleting. He spent nearly six hours giving chase to Seven. The chase ended but Batman would have other opportunities...

* * *

Friday night, six pm...

Sera sent Gabriel to a neighbors house for the night. There was a fourteen year old girl next door whom Sera paid on a few occasions to babysit and she tolerated Gabriel's silly antics. Tonight was going to be a make it or break it night. She put on a nice black cocktail dress with a little silver lining along the shoulder. It covered her tattoos from view. She purchased it especially for tonight, hoping it would bring her more luck. The second audition held a few days ago she felt was a success and that she sealed the part of La Carlotta for herself. She suffered through the audition, but was on so many painkillers that she was able to hide her ailments.

Her hair was in an up-do and the ends curled. She wore a jeweled headband and a matching necklace and bracelet. She looked great and for once felt the same way. Her aches and pains were nearly gone, but she took some excedrin just in case her belly began to hurt. Once she had the final curl pinned in place, she sprayed on a few spurts of perfume and checked her makeup again. Then she left her bathroom and went into the bedroom to find her dress shoes; a pair of low-rise heels with a silver accent on the ankle strap. They were very nice and not too uncomfortable, but the night would determine that. She exchanged her large tote for a tiny clutch for the evening. When she was satisfied she walked out into the living room and waited for her date.

Fifteen minutes passed by. She was tapping her foot with impatience. They needed to be at the restaurant ten minutes beforehand to check in and Joker was taking his time. She rolled her eyes and peered out the window. It was a beautiful cloudless night, almost too perfect. Her eyes tore away from the window when she felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned, she was taken aback...

Joker was dressed to the nines in a full tuxedo. The coat was long and nearly touched the back of his knees. The vest underneath was a lovely burgundy which covered a simple white shirt. A matching burgundy tie was resting on his chest. His slacks were simply black, as were his shoes. The day following the casting director's phone call was when Joker dragged her and Gabriel out to purchase the suit.

It was Joker's face and hair that were drastically changed. He must have taken a thick white paint and covered up the black rims around his eyes. He also put in dark brown contacts with wide lensing because the redness of his eyes was covered by a normal looking white. It was uncanny how normal his face looked. The most startling change was his green hair. Joker must have purchased a temporary dye because his hair was solid black, root to tip. His pale skin was left alone because using a flesh colored makeup would probably overdue it.

"I uh..." Sera stuttered.

"Pretty sexy huh?" Joker said and slowly turned around to show off his looks.

Sera caught a glimpse of his hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She found it oddly attractive. When he finished turning, he looked to Sera for her approval.

"You like?" he asked.

"You look like a vampire," Sera said.

"That explains the blood fetish," he joked and approached her, grabbing her around the waist, "Shall we?"

Sera allowed Joker to escort her to the door and they found that their cab had arrived. The cabby never commented on their tardiness but drove them to Le Bernardin and arrived minutes before check in.

Sera introduced Joker as 'Nathaniel' to everyone and nobody commented on Joker's albino-like appearance. They just assumed it was a skin condition but Sera did get a few giggles and whispers from her friends about how handsome and unusual her date was. Joker acted like a perfect gentleman, a great coverup. Throughout dinner, he conversed with Sera's friends, told jokes, and flirted with some of the actresses. Sera tried her hardest to ignore his antics and enjoy the night.

Then the casting director, John Dobson, stood and grabbed everyone's attention, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy you could all join us tonight and excited to be working along side the crew of the Gotham City theatre. The auditions over the last two weeks have been fierce and entertaining. I cannot believe the never-ending amount of talent Gotham has. I feel that now is the time that we announce the lead roles of our production. As most of you know, we've made several phone calls over the past week. Ninety percent of those we called were told their parts over the phone. The others who were not given their roles by phone call were invited to dinner."

The actors were getting excited in their seats and even people who were not apart of the large dinner party were eavesdropping, straining to hear through the gentle music played by the live orchestra.

John continued, "So without further adieu, we'd like to announce our secondary lead roles..."

There was a lot of excitement and cheering when names were called and once John reached the character role of La Carlotta Giudicelli, Sera's ears perked up and her full attention was given to John. Even Joker's attention was on the director as he stated...

"I'm happy to offer the part of Carlotta Giudicelli to the lovely Trisha Harwood!"

The party clapped and cheered. Trisha was in tears and hugging her friends.

The announcement saddened Sera and even though it hurt to know the part she wanted went to her best friend, she clapped and smiled. At the same time, she felt Joker's palm wandering to her thigh and squeezing it as he leaned into her.

"Awe, how sad to lose the part to your friend."

She groaned and moved her thigh, making Joker's hand fall off, "Stop it. I'm glad she got the part," Sera said, her voice just barely drowned out by the cheering.

"Sure sweetheart..." Joker said and he began clapping with everyone else.

Once the happy cries died down somewhat, John delivered the next leading roles starting with 'Raoul' and then 'Madame Giry' and 'Meg'. There was a greater amount of cheering as the actors and actresses stood up to congratulate one another. Amidst the glee, Sera was trying to get over the fact that she lost the part she wanted and it didn't help having Joker tease her at every opportunity.

Then finally, the director began calling out something else, but Sera couldn't hear him. Her mind was unable to soak up any information. She was in her own little world but then someone touched her shoulder. She realized that it wasn't Joker's.

"Sera? Sera are you okay?"

Sera looked to her left and saw that Trisha was shaking her.

"Helloooo Sera!" Trisha called, trying to get her friend's attention, waving her hand in front of her face and anything else to wake the girl up.

"W-what?" Sera asked, oblivious to her surroundings.

"John just announced the last two roles! Congratulations Sera! You got the role of Christine!" Trisha cried.

Sera's legs were shaking and her head was spinning. Everyone was staring at her and chattering their congratulations to her. Then Sera finally managed to say, "W-what?" Everyone started laughing.

"You can tell she's very surprised!" John announced and everyone was clapping and continued their hearty laughs.

Trisha rubbed her friend's shoulders, "Sera you're the leading lady! You're being paired up with Alexander Garcia! He got the role as the 'Phantom'!"

It was unbelievable! Her as Christine? Sera's eyes widened, she never expected it.

Joker was sitting nearby, smiling and clapping. It was obvious to him that Sera would be bringing home an even larger paycheck now that she had a major part. He remained seated as Sera was pulled to her feet to be congratulated by her directors and her friends and the entire group did a toast for new cast and crew.

After the announcements and the cheers, the party was ordering from the dessert menu and they went through several bottles of champagne. Sera ordered a delicious tiramisu while Joker opted for an orange-chocolate tart.

"Oh my gosh, this is great," Sera said as she took a nibble of the treat and closed her eyes, savoring the bite.

"How about trying some of mine?" Joker asked and he offered her a partial spoonful of tart.

Not wanting to draw attention to herself by refusing, she agreed and Joker held the spoon out to her. She took the little slice into her mouth and slid it off the spoon. It was very tasty. Then he looked at her and glimpsed her treat sitting in the decorative goblet. She figured he wanted a bite of hers, so she did the same in scooping out a bite and feeding it to him. They exchanged glances, both appreciating the other's dessert.

For the next half hour, the group enjoyed long conversations and some of the party even got up to order specialty drinks at the bar. Trisha ordered a few martinis and gave one each to Sera and Joker. The three of them had a private toast and eventually Trisha was asked by a cast mate to dance. There were plenty of couples out on the dance floor, some were random strangers, many were cast mates.

Joker eyed Sera and allowed the alcohol to speak for him, "May I have this dance?"

Consuming a lot of alcohol made her wary but she placed her hand into Joker's and he pulled her to her feet and led her out to the dance floor where all the other couples slow danced. He kept her hand and slid his other to her lower back while her secondary hand moved up to his shoulder. He tugged her body close so their belly's nearly touched. Even though he was several inches taller, she could feel his cheek brush gently against her temple and suddenly she felt very comfortable.

They danced that way throughout the song, neither spoke but let the music carry them. Even after the song ended and the next one started, they danced continuously. Nothing else in the world could interrupt them. It was unknown if it was the alcohol that controlled their actions, but Sera found her lips attaching to Joker's in a very intimate kiss. Her arms snaked around his neck and his hands have already taken up residence on her hips. They remained locked this way for a while, ignoring the chattering couples around them.

It was a pleasant evening and the trip home was surprisingly nice. Sera said her goodbyes with her friends and they followed up with more congratulations before parting ways. She was stumbling a lot and Joker wasn't too much better but he assisted her. He held her around the waist as they both exited the cab and ascended up the back porch. Sera struggled to line up her key with the doorknob but managed eventually. On the way back to her room, Joker was busy stripping off his coat, vest and shirt until his skin met with the cool air. He pulled off the slacks and crashed onto the bed, tired. He would wash up properly in the morning.

Sera unzipped her dress and slipped it off, along with her hosiery and jewelry. Then she took all the pins out of her hair and let the curls fall to her shoulders before sliding into bed. Joker was nearly asleep but he placed an arm over her as she pulled up the blankets. It was so nice to be in a warm bed again.

_To be continued..._


	24. Chapter 22

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 22

Property

Sera woke up with a mild hangover and the sweet memories of last night's big announcement. Her headache couldn't overcome her happiness. She would have to start practicing immediately as the show would begin in six weeks. Rehearsals would be forty hours a week and her son would need to be looked after while she was away all day. There would be no choice but to leave him home. Joker would want complete control at all times.

She rolled out of bed and saw that the clown was still out cold. He drank heavier than she did so se figured he'd be out for longer. This was her opportunity to have the bathroom to herself and maybe a quiet breakfast. The warm water was refreshing and she took her time washing out all that hairspray and scrubbing the makeup from her face. She peered down at her belly and saw that the cuts were all scabbed over and some parts were turning to scars. It didn't look as bad as it did when her flesh was swollen, but the words could still be made out. She gently went over the injury with a wash cloth and cleaned it thoroughly. She shouldn't need bandages anymore and it would do her belly some good to get fresh air on the wounds. After finishing her shower, she climbed out and wrapped up in a fluffy towel and began brushing out her locks in order to put them into a side braid.

The front of her robe hung open as she applied a little bit of ointment to her belly and she left it as is. Then she slathered lotion on her skin to counter the dryness. In the vanity mirror, she saw the bathroom door crack open and a very sleepy Joker stepped inside. He stretched as he walked across the room and straight into the shower. He was already naked.

Sera didn't say anything to him but could hear him humming to himself as he started to scrub the dye from his hair and clear his eyes of the white makeup. He must have taken his contacts out in the bedroom, because they were no longer a dark brown. She had to admit, he looked really nice last night and his behavior made him that much more attractive. Wait a second...what the hell was she thinking? Joker was cruel to her! She can't think of him as a nice guy. He may have acted the part last night, but who knows what he would do to her today.

Joker turned off the water and climbed out. Most of the black had washed away but he had a gray tint to his hair that would eventually fade. "So sweetheart, have a good time last night?" he asked while drying his torso off.

"If you're referring to my friend's company, then yes," she replied casually.

Joker scratched his chin, "Hmm, it's fuzzy but I seem to remember somebody exchanging saliva with me willingly."

"Under the influence," she quickly reminded, "If I had been sober, I'm certain I wouldn't behave that way with you." She continued to stare into her vanity and rubbed a little bit of lotion on her neck and moved down her chest.

Joker was by her side in a second and he grabbed the bottle of lotion from her, "I beg to differ sweetheart. I can make any girl squirm and beg me for it..."

She wanted to say something so badly but the aftermath of last week's shower encounter was still fresh in her mind, so instead she asked, "May I have my lotion back please?"

"Since you asked so nicely..." Joker began and he squirted a generous amount into his hands before dropping the bottle on the vanity. He made her sit up straighter and he pressed his hands against the back of her neck and then brought them around to her front, spreading the lotion as far as it would go. His hands slid down to her chest and around her breasts. He squeezed the soft mounds as his fingertips passed over them and moved back up, rubbing the lotion into her flesh.

Sera leaned back into his stomach and calmly sighed. It would be pointless to resist. He would torture her if she did so she let him massage her shoulders and chest. There was no harm in the act right? He was so gentle with her, very out of the ordinary. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his touch. Those fingers of his moved with expertise. "How many women have you been with before?"

Joker stopped momentarily, "Hm, no woman has ever asked me that before." He thought about it for a moment, "Not really sure before my little accident, but I'm pretty certain I've 'entertained' at least three other women before you."

"I know about Eve, but who were the other two?"

"Don't know, don't care. They were just victims. You and Eve stuck around the longest though. You two are highly entertaining."

Sera sighed. Of course she should have known better than to ask such a stupid question. However Joker continued on.

"The first girl was a retail clerk. I was stealing some new toys for my arsenal and I was feeling a little frisky so I made her perform orally. So far no one gives as good a head as she does. Maybe you can change that?" Joker laughed and his hands wandered down to her breasts again to squash them under his firm grip. "The second girl was a plus-sized girl, but holy shit was she drop dead gorgeous. Much better looking than the first girl and probably around a size fourteen and near my height. I loved her curves and her long brown hair. She was the first girl I officially fucked since my chemical bath. I messed her up real good and apparently she's being treated for schizophrenia now." He laughed again. "I love my line of work!"

Sera shook her head, "How can you take so much pleasure in this?"

"Very easily sweetheart." He continued, "Then Eve came along. She was a good sport. You know her story because yours isn't too different, save for the kid and the fact that you weren't tossed into a vat." His finger connected with her nipple and he started tracing around the soft bud, "I think I'll keep you the way you are, not for personal reasons, but because your looks are a big part of the job and I like your pay stub."

She rolled her eyes, "Of course." She tried to shoo away his hand from her breast but he gripped onto it, refusing to leave her alone just yet. Then she felt him leaning forward and one of his hands wandered down her her belly and met with the lacerations. He pressed his palm against the lettering and chuckled before letting his fingers slip even lower until he touched the top of her labia. Her breathing picked up speed, not from being aroused, but from fear. She was still healing and he was sliding his fingers into her. Her hand rushed down to stop his and she clasped his fingers, preventing them from pushing through her folds.

"I like it when you tremble...such a turn-on," he said. He sent his other hand down to catch that pesky arm of hers and he held it away so his fingers could penetrate. The instant his fingers were shoved in, she groaned and he saw the pained expression on her face, "Still hurting sweetheart?"

She nodded, "Please...not now. Give me another week or so."

Her plea sounded so innocent but this meant he would have to go longer than a week because he couldn't risk knocking her up again. He figured by the time she was healed she'd be more willing to cooperate anyways. There was no way she'd risk him injuring her like this again.

"Okay," Joker said and he withdrew his fingers slowly and returned his hands to her shoulders to continue massaging, "But this only means I'll be expecting something else from you in the meantime." He then added, "Maybe I'll treat you to something else, no fingers required."

"No knives I hope," she said, almost inaudibly.

Joker laughed heartily, "No knives sweetheart." He then took her hands and pulled her to her feet and led her out of the bathroom and down the hall.

"I have to pick up Gabriel. He's probably wondering where-"

"The kid's fine. He can wait for a little while longer," Joker said as he pushed her into the bedroom.

Sera fell onto the brand new satin sheets and Joker was on top of her, his body crushing her into the mattress.

"We can't, I have to start rehearsing, Gabriel, my-"

"Sweetheart, all you ever think about is work and that kid. When are you going to do something for yourself? Be selfish for once!" Joker said and he pushed down her bathrobe so he could see her entire upper body. "Where should I start? The usual?"

"I don't think-" she started.

"Stop talking," Joker said and he covered her mouth, making sure to dip his middle finger into her mouth. He then lowered himself to her neck and kissed the soft skin of her throat before moving down to her collar. His tongue dipped in and out of the space between the bones and then he kissed all the way down to the fleshy mounds on her chest.

"Mmph!" Sera mumbled, trying to speak but his hand pressed away at her lips. She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his arm, trying to get his hand of her mouth.

"Do you want a mouthful of spores again?" Joker said, stopping his kisses.

She shook her head. It was the last thing she needed spreading all through the house again.

"Unless you plan on releasing moans and groans from pleasure, then stay silent!" he barked and he started swirling his finger around her tongue, trying to keep her busy while his mouth returned to her left breast. He sucked at her nipple hard enough to bruise it and moved downwards to its underside, licking and biting. His other hand wandered down to her pussy, but stay within a safe distance of her entrance. Instead he focused on the exterior and rubbed along the soft folds and clitoris. Her fluids started to leak out of her body, making it easier for his fingers to slide around.

Sera moaned when he focused his attention on her clitoris alone and her back lifted off the bed.

Joker smiled against her breast when he felt her tongue moving around his finger of its own accord. She was sucking his middle finger and her hands were squashing his wrist, like she was trying to bring the digit into her mouth deeper. He let her draw in his ring finger and he started pumping them against her lips, mimicking sex. She appeared to be enjoying the sensations.

It wasn't very long before Sera could no longer take his fingers rubbing away at her labia and she wanted something else. She stopped sucking his fingers and dragged them out of her mouth.

He stopped his deep kisses on her breast and peered up at her. No words needed to be exchanged. Her face was flushed and her chest reddened. It was obvious that she wanted him to push further and the evidence of his arousal was pressing against her leg. He also wanted to satisfy himself and then he decided to try something. He never had a reason to try this move, but he'll do anything at least once so he adjusted his position on the bed. His feet were now resting up by her head; hers doing the same and he pushed apart her thighs so he had full access to her. Sera caught on and she was so much under an erotic spell that she pushed his topmost leg away and gripped onto his length. She stroked it a few times before taking it into her mouth, hoping that she would be able to please him.

He liked her assertiveness and felt she truly did deserve a reward. He brought his mouth down on her swollen pussy, sucking and pressing his tongue against her ailing pearl. What an interesting concept, the sixty-nine. It was tempting for him to push his fingers into her center, but that would ruin the moment so he intensified his licks.

Sera cried out, but her voice was muffled as she sucked him off.

Her body was squirming, almost out of his control and he had to capture her hips and push them down. He locked his elbow across her thigh to keep her spread-eagle and he picked up his pace. His tongue traced up and down her slit, collecting her fluids and he swallowed them, loving their flavor. She was breathing so heavily and her mouth slowed until she backed off him completely. However her hand remained on his shaft, furiously stroking him while her lower belly boiled with passion.

It was amazing the way her body vibrated when she drew closer to peaking and he sucked harder until he felt her body stiffen. Her hand froze on his length as she cried out to God. Her body was temporarily weakened but she reattached her mouth to his cock and continued sucking him.

Fluids had stained the sheets and dripped from his chin, but he just wiped away the traces he couldn't reach with his tongue and gently rolled onto his back to allow her better access to him. Her head bobbed up and down and her hand wrapped around his base, ensuring every inch of his penis was covered. Her tongue slithered around him and he started thrusting his hips slightly, meeting her mouth with every bob until he felt an explosion rush through him. He came hard and strong, partially in her mouth but she pulled away. A trickle of semen dripped from her bottom lip and she wiped it away while still masterbating him with her other hand. Joker's head fell back against the comforter and he breathed a sigh of satiety.

"That was really great sweetheart," Joker said. He sat up on the bed and watched as she grabbed a few tissues off the nightstand and wiped herself down. She rolled off the bed and strolled over to her closet, looking for clothing for the day. Then he got up and followed her. She was busy pulling down a blouse when he reached both arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Did you enjoy it?"

She breathed a gentle sigh.

"Don't be shy sweetheart. Tell Mr. J..." he coaxed.  
He was putting her on the spot again so she nodded and whispered, "Yes..."

"That's my girl," Joker said and he kissed her neck before letting her go and getting himself dressed.

* * *

"Then we had popcorn and I drew a picture of Iron Man for you!"

Sera was listening intently to Gabe talk about his time with the babysitter as they returned home. She put his drawing on the refrigerator to display it and let him run into the living room. He put his Iron Man doll on the couch and pulled over his tote of toys and started building a fort while she began making a cup of tea. She fully intended to get in some much needed practice in the basement. Her new role had many lines and a lot of music to learn. This was her first starring role and she won't be messing it up. She squeezed a bit of lemon in her drink and slowly sipped it while practicing a few warm-up notes. After the tea disappeared she went downstairs, leaving Gabriel to his toys.

She had no idea what Joker was doing. Just before she picked up Gabe, she ended up signing for a lot of packages at the door. There was a huge delivery and two men had to bring boxes as long as her body into the house. She figured that Joker must be rearranging one of her guest rooms and building something. Then she remembered his request for ordering weights. That must be it.

The occasional thump from upstairs confirmed her suspicions. He was dropping weights on the floor.

"I hope those things don't come crashing through the floorboards," she said aloud. She stroked a few piano keys and started with 'Angel of Music'.

The next few days were pretty uneventful with Sera constantly practicing and she had her first official rehearsal with the cast.

Joker spent hours exercising and using his new bench. The rest of the time he spent working on other projects. More and more packages seemed to arrive on her doorstep and they went straight to the guest room. Gabriel occasionally peeked into the room, curious to see what their houseguest was doing. Joker never minded him. In fact he appeared to be playing a game with the child. Whenever Gabe poked his head in, Joker would give the child a sort of 'fright' and the little boy would run away laughing. It didn't bother the clown, if anything, it kept things lively in the house.

One day, Gabriel pulled together enough courage to open the door to the guest room fully and stepped inside. He saw the Joker laying down on the bench, lifting a barbell with heavy weights on each end. Not wanting to bother Joker, Gabe spotted a box nearby with brightly colored objects inside. Curiously, the boy approached the box and peered inside. There appeared to be a large purple and yellow gun with pink spirals running along the sides. It looked like a toy and he picked it up and pointed it at the window. He pulled the trigger and a large purple flag shot out of the barrel. That didn't seem very interesting, so he decided to see if it would do anything else and was about to pull the trigger again. However the gun was pulled from his hands and he jumped about a mile from fright. Joker was towering over him, holding the gun up high.

"Naughty, naughty child. This isn't a toy," Joker said and he lay the gun back into the box.

"It looks like one," Gabe said innocently.

"Sure it does, but it's not for kiddies. The last thing we need is you blowing out a window and both of us suffering the wrath of your mother. She might cut off my allowance," the clown joked and he returned to the bench to press more weight.

Gabriel didn't touch anything else in the room but it didn't the boy form looking at everything, "What do you need all this stuff for?"

Huh so the kid was taking an interest in him. Joker smiled and continued lifting, "I'm having a party in the future. I need all my favors ready."

"Oh like a birthday party?"

"Yeah, a birthday party..." Joker said.

Gabriel then stepped close to the end of the bench, where Joker's knee was resting. His next comment would blow Joker out of the water, "Momma says you're my daddy..."

Not expecting to ever converse about the topic with Gabe, Joker almost dropped the bar on his head. He struggle for a moment but managed to lift the bar up and put it on the rack before he injured himself. Then he sat up, not knowing exactly what to say, "Your momma says lots of things."

"I know. She talks all the time," Gabe replied innocently, not quite getting Joker's comment, "Are you going to stay forever?"

"Doubtful. I have a lot of plans and I don't remain stationary for long. Once I have my party, I'll be on the move again."

"Can I go to the party?"  
The request made Joker chuckle, "We'll see."

"Awe...please? I'm good at parties!" Gabe begged.

Joker didn't disagree. If the kid wasn't the life of a party, he'd question the paternity test.

* * *

Sera was in the basement again, practicing. Joker was once again seated next to her watching her rehearse. If it had been five years ago, she would have kicked him out of the basement. She used to have stage fright and wouldn't do any solo work until she gained more experience at the theatre. Why was Joker so interested in her rehearsing anyways? She had just finished running through 'Angel of Music' for the seventh time.

"So, how many years did you say you trained?" Joker asked.

"Um, I think a grand total of eighteen years? Maybe seventeen...I don't know. Why are you so interested in my music career?" Sera asked.

"Curious. Maybe I'm just a music lover."

"You never seem interested in opera, at least not until recently. Anyways I need to get through this for tomorrow's rehearsal. I'll have an easier time with Alexander there tomorrow to sing his parts and I can learn my cues."

Joker thought about it for a moment and then grinned, "Why wait until tomorrow when you have a guy here right now."

"Since when do you act?" she questioned.

"I'm a clown, acting is part of the territory."

"Yeah but you lack experience in opera."

"That can be changed. Show me the parts to read-"

"Sing," she corrected.

"Okay, sing."

"The Phantom is not an easy role to perform, even when just practicing. Do you even know if you can-"

"Then teach me the notes," Joker said and picked up another sheet of music. "You played piano for a bit right?"

"Well some from what my mother taught me." She stroked the keys gently, playing a short excerpt from Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata'.

"Good enough, now show me."

She sighed, "You're not going to let me work in peace are you?"

"Nope!"

"All right, fine. I'll let you practice with me, but I need to know what vocal range you are before we start, otherwise this may not work. I'm going to play one key at a time starting at G-four and working my way down. Just sing down the scale until you can't go any lower and we'll do the same for the higher end."

After only a few minutes of following the piano, Sera determined Joker to be a baritone, "Yup definitely baritone and maybe a little bit of tenor. Your range is C-four as your lowest note to D-four above middle C as your highest. Right in the middle. You're a perfect match for several roles in the show, well at least if you were trained for a few years."

"You gotta admit I'm good!" Joker said.

"Well, you can carry a tune, I'll give you that." she admitted.

"Let's keep goin' sweetheart. I'm on a roll!" he replied an winked at her.

For the next hour, she put Joker through various exercises including posture, diaphragm, breath, and tongue positioning. He was an excellent listener for a nut-ball. He did throw a few jokes and teased her in between, but overall she managed to get him to belt out a good portion of 'All I Ask of You'. He didn't do too bad.

"Your pitch was off a little but we can correct that and overall I'd say not too shabby for a beginner," Sera said truthfully.

"So when do I learn how to wobble?" Joker asked with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Ah, I couldn't say. A vibrato comes with time and lots of practice; sometimes years of hard work depending on the singer. In some cases, like someone who is naturally gifted, much less time. Anyways, I think that's enough for today. We don't want to strain ourselves. So let's go get some tea and I need to hit the market tonight for more honey and to pick up another albuterol for Gabe." She stacked her music and left it on the piano, "He's been going through that stuff so quickly. I'm gonna take him with me."

"Then I'll be going with you," Joker said and he made way to the door.

"I figured you would," Sera replied, trying not to sound disheartened.

_To be continued..._


	25. Chapter 23

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 23

Harvest

The pharmacy was a bit behind schedule due to an employee calling out, so Gabriel's medicine would be a good two hours before it was ready. Sera decided they had time to hit the Gotham farmer's market. It was close to Halloween so there would fun activities for Gabe to do and she could purchase him a pumpkin and maybe some other assorted goodies for the house. Joker had no problem walking through the market. People just assumed he was a guy in costume. In fact he was stopped by group of teenagers for a photo. Those kids were dressed like the villains of the past and they were excited to see someone looking so authentic. Joker had to grin because one of the teens was dressed like him. For the photo he put his arm around his younger counterpart and allowed the other kids to surround him. A random stranger snapped the photo and the teens thanked Joker for being 'So awesome!' and they parted ways.

Sera didn't know when to stop and she made multiple trips to the car delivering her purchased goods.

Gabriel was going nuts as he saw all the merchants in costume and freaked out when there was someone in a full 'Thor' getup, complete with body armor and a hammer. It was uncanny how much the guy looked like Hemsworth. Sera blushed as Gabe dragged her over to the guy and begged for a picture. She pulled out her cellphone and asked a merchant to snap a shot. Her face was super red as 'Thor' put his arm around her waist and squeezed a little. Gabe got to hold the hammer and he squashed his Ironman doll against his chest and grinned.

After the picture, Gabe saw a pumpkin carving contest and that it would be starting within the hour.

"Mommy! Can I carve a pumpkin? Please, please?" Gabe begged.

"We need to get your medicine soon baby," Sera replied.

"We can get it later, please?" he pressed again.

"I said no," she said firmly.

Joker interrupted their little argument, "Let the kid stay, I'm rather enjoying this." He was looking over at a couple of teens chasing each other dressed as Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. They were 'killing' each other.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to win with Joker backing Gabe, she sighed, "Fine, you watch him and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Yay!" Gabe screeched and he ran over to the pumpkin carving booth to enter the children's contest. The prize was a free pumpkin and a bag of market treats.

Several kids were getting ready to start and Gabe found an open spot on the table and was given a plastic saw to carve with. All of the kids waited for the whistle and they started. They had thirty minutes to finish. Joker waited on the sidelines watching the kids but occasionally his attention would stray to another booth or to some teens running around showing off costumes.

The contest was almost over and Gabe was excited about his pumpkin. He put down his little saw and turned his pumpkin around, notifying the judges that his was finished. A judge collected his pumpkin and put it on the front table for voting. Then Gabe sat back down on the bench and waited for everyone else to be finished.

Joker rolled his eyes. He knew Gabe would do something Avenger related. That kid was obsessed.

The day was turning out to be relatively good, that is...until a loud bang rang out over the crowds. An explosion erupted from the rooftop. Everyone looked up briefly and then scattered as debris fell into the streets. Then a dark figure could be seen leaping from the building and landing on one of the tents before rolling down to the ground. At first everyone thought it was the Batman until the person got up. The person clad in black armor climbed to his feet and took off running through the crowd. People scrambled to get out of the man's way.

"It's the guy from the newspapers!" someone shouted.

"Watch out! He carries bombs!" cried another person.

"It's Batman!" someone else screamed and the entire crowd looked up in the sky to see Batman grappling down to the ground.

The Bat landed on the pavement and gave chase to the armored man.

Joker growled. That's the guy who was stealing his thunder. As much as he wanted to join in the fight, he had to hold off. Revealing himself now would be a mistake. The armored guy was running in his direction with the Bat close behind. Then the villain reached into a small bag he carried and withdrew what looked like another bomb and threw it.

The grenade landed a few meters away from the carving tent and parents rushed to get their children away from it. Gabe didn't get far from the grenade when it exploded and the tent collapsed on top of him. He screamed from underneath the canvas and crawled around trying to find an opening.

Nearby, Joker was picking himself up from the ground and saw that the tent had fallen. Where was the kid?

Batman nearly caught up with the villain. He threw several batarangs in hopes he could cripple the man. However the villain dodged the devices and was upon the carving tent. There was a child still tangled up in the canvas and he grabbed the kid by the coat. The Bat stopped in his tracks seeing the man with a hostage.

"Seven, put the boy down!" Batman shouted.

Joker was furious. He couldn't do anything with the Bat so close by. It was possible that Batsy would recognize him and try to take him in. He stayed on the outskirts of the crowd where he could still see Gabe. The child was struggling in Seven's arms and whacking his leg with his Ironman doll.

Then Seven threw several more grenades into the crowds and removed what looked like a grappling gun and shot the hook towards a rooftop. Batman had no choice but to save the people caught within radius of the bombs while Seven was getting away. With Batman busy with rescuing people Joker had to go after Gabe. If he lost the kid, he would lose control over Sera and her assets. He ran as fast as he could down the streets, eyes following Seven as he flew through the air.

Joker's legs fatigued a lot faster than they used to. Age was certainly a factor as was his lack of activity in Gotham; another thing he would work on. Seven was now out of view and Joker stopped in his tracks.

"Shit!" he cursed as he began looking around for clues. The streets were darkening as dusk was nearing and it grew cloudy. The wind picked up. Sera probably returned to the market by now and discovered that her son had disappeared. She would likely be freaking out. Joker hoped she was smart enough to avoid going to the police. The last thing he needed was a police chase on him.

He wandered down a long alleyway until he neared Gotham bay. The docks were misty and he could barely make out the boats floating in the canals. Then Joker spotted something lying on the ground. He approached it and saw that it was Gabe's doll. He picked it up and pocketed it. Seven must be nearby.

* * *

"Detonators are placed along Gotham's eastern districts. Ready for pickup," Seven spoke into his phone.

"P-put me...d-down!" Gabriel tried to scream, but he found that his voice wasn't working too well. He wasn't feeling too well. The dust and dirt from the explosions earlier had done a number on him. Plus the canvas that fell on him was loaded with pollen from other festival usage. He sneezed several times and coughed occasionally.

A voice spoke over the speaker phone, _"You have a passenger Seven?"_

"I was forced to take a hostage. It's a child."

_"Get rid of the hostage. We cannot have any witnesses."_

"Yes master," Seven replied and placed his cell phone back into his bag. He then lifted up the child and was about to throw the little guy into the harbor.

"I advise against that..."

Seven caught sight of someone to his right on the other end of the dock and he turned slowly to face them. Upon seeing the pale skinned freak on the dock, Seven withdrew a broadsword from a sheath on his back and held it against Gabriel's throat, "Would you prefer this?" Seven threatened.

Joker looked over this new adversary in black. They spoke through a voice scrambler so it was impossible for them to be identified. There was a silver number seven embroidered on their left shoulder. Gabriel looked very ill. He would need to get the kid away from this guy immediately.

"Seven, is it? What a bland name. It doesn't scream villain in my opinion."

"My master likes to keep things simple," Seven replied, "Back off now..." He brought the blade closer to Gabriel's throat.

Joker held his ground, "I don't like it when people steal my stuff, hand over the kid." In the distance a helicopter could be heard and Joker only had so much time to get the kid.

"You want the kid? Fetch!" Seven shouted and threw Gabe into the harbor.

The helicopter came into view and dropped a ladder down to Seven. Joker wanted very much to go after the bastard but dove into the water to get the boy. He swam around the cold, murky depths until he saw Gabriel struggling for the surface. He wrapped an arm around Gabe's waist and kicked for the docks. Joker broke the surface with a choking and gasping child in his arm and quickly put the boy on the nearby dock before climbing out himself. He brushed off some weeds and pushed his sopping hair out of his face before checking Gabe.

Gabe was gasping pretty badly and pulling on his shirt collar, looking as though he couldn't breathe. "Mo-mommy..." he squeaked. His breathing was labored.

"Fuck..." Joker swore. What a time for an attack. He didn't have Gabriel's medicine. In a panic he picked up the boy an started running, looking for a phone or something to contact Sera. Gabe's crying was lessening...not a good sign.

"Help...m-me..." Gabe moaned.

They finally reached some establishments. They were all restaurants and Joker had to risk going into one. He carried Gabe through the doors of a cafe, "I need a phone, now!" he shouted to the clerk behind the counter and made Gabriel sit down in a chair. The startled cashier pulled a cellphone from his pocket and tossed it to Joker before backing into a countertop, confused.

Joker prayed that he could remember Sera's phone number. He only saw it once in that tiny calendar Sera lent him. He dialed a few numbers, hoping it was right but it was incorrect. He tried a few more and crushed the phone after a few attempts in frustration. Gabe was in tears and couldn't breathe. How could he make it easier for the kid to take a breath? He thought back to what the doctors had said should Gabe be without his medicine.

_"If he ever has an attack and he doesn't have his medicine, which hopefully won't ever be the case, anything caffeinated can help reduce symptoms."_

Caffeine. Joker then made demands at the cashier, "Get me a large coffee! Black!"

Without question the clerk rushed to grab an oversized cup and proceeded to filling it near full before lidding it and handing it over to the unusual looking customer.

Joker tried to put the cup into Gabe's hands but the little boy pushed it away.

"You have to. Now drink, very slowly," Joker said and he pressed the cup to Gabe's mouth.

Gabriel sipped the hot liquid and made a face before swallowing it. Then he sucked in a large amount of air before coughing. Joker made him drink some more. Gabe's breathing evened out after downing half the cup.

* * *

Sera was in tears. The market was destroyed when she returned and Gabriel was nowhere in sight. Cops were investigating and paramedics took the injured to the hospital. Sera notified the police of her missing son but there was no word of him yet. She wiped her eyes and peered down at her cellphone for the time. It was near nine pm. If that nut job hurt him, he will be sorry...

An officer approached Sera and offered her a ride home but she turned him down. Having given up, she drove herself home. That clown had better be there. Sera brought up the bags from the market and dropped them on the porch before unlocking the door. She dragged everything into the kitchen and left it on the floor to put away later. Lo and behold there was a little boy lying across the couch. Sera nearly had a heart attack and ran through the house to her son's side.

Gabriel sat up and reached out to her.

"Oh my god, Gabriel! Are you all right?" she cried, embracing her son.

"I had an attack," Gabe murmured.

"You did? Shit..." she said before letting him go and she started digging through her purse. She retrieved his new inhaler, "Take a dose of this now." She shook the inhaler and held it to his mouth, "Ready, one..." and she pressed down on the canister as Gabe inhaled. "Okay, two..." and Gabe took a second breath. "What happened sweet pea?"

"There was a boom and lots of people started screaming. The tent fell on me. It was dusty and I couldn't breathe good. Then a bad man picked me up and carried me away. Daddy chased him and got me. Then I got worse and daddy made me drink coffee until I was better." Gabe pointed to the cup on the tv stand, "That stuff is icky!"

"It's late. You should go to bed. Here take this." She handed the inhaler to Gabe, "I have a spare in my purse if you lose that one. Go brush your teeth and go to bed."

Gabriel yawned and didn't fuss as he rolled off the couch and skipped down the hall to the bathroom. Sera returned to the kitchen to sort the bags. She purchased a lot of homemade items like soap and bath salts. She also found a salsa booth and picked out a tasty picante style. As for other things, she grabbed produce and piled that on the counter, intending to cook it all up and jar it all tomorrow after rehearsal.

She switched off the light and locked the door before heading down to her room. Joker was already inside, resting on the bed with a newspaper in hand. He looked pretty pissed off. Sera didn't say a word to him as she undressed and slipped on a nightgown. Joker's eyes never left the paper, not even to glimpse at her as she changed. Then she switched off the overhead light and crawled into bed. The lamp on the nightstand on Joker's side illuminated part of the room. For a few minutes, they were both silent until she heard the newspaper being folded and dropped to the floor.  
"I figured I'd get an earful the instant you came home, yet here you are...completely silent," Joker said.

Sera rolled over, "I was planning on it until Gabe told me what happened. Coffee was the best thing you could have given him and probably saved his life. I didn't expect you to do something like that. Who was this 'bad guy' Gabe was talking about? It's not that guy I've been seeing on the news is it?"

"That's my suspicion and I won't let that bastard outshine me." Joker sunk lower into the bed after readjusting his pillows.

"Well, I'm sure the police will catch him."

"Ha! The police are a joke sweetheart! I've been arrested hundreds of times. Believe me, I know how pathetic they."

"So what happened to all the super villains? How come we never see them anymore?" Sera questioned. She was very interested in knowing, "What happened to Penguin, Freeze, Firefly...all of them? I heard Riddler died, he was murdered by Poison Ivy and then she killed herself according to the papers. I remember hearing about that on the news. It was a big story. After you disappeared they all just seemed to follow you."

Joker smiled, "I don't know what happened to all of them, but I do know what happened to two."

"What?"

"Another night sweetheart."

"Oh...well okay." She paused and then figured she had to get one last thing off her chest, "Also, I want to thank you for saving my son's life. I appreciate it."

He didn't respond right away, just kind of stared at her. "Yeah well, don't get used to it." Then he attempted to roll back over but his shoulder was caught by her delicate fingers and she prevented him from turning.

"I owe you big time," she said.

"You don't want to owe me a favor sweetheart..." he said, a slight grin appearing on his lips.

"I owe you my son's life. How can I make up for that?"

"Are you saying you actually want to repay me?"

"I feel guilty if I don't repay my debts."

"If that's a promise sweetheart, then there's no take backs when I come calling for that favor, deal?"

He appeared much too happy and accepting, "Should I be worried?"

"I don't know what that favor will be yet, but let's just say I'll be sure it's worth it." Joker then winked at her.

She knew he wouldn't do anything detrimental to her or Gabriel. If he did, she would go straight to the police, "Okay fine. I'll return the favor when you ask it of me. Just don't ask me to kill or maim anyone."

Joker then took her hand and held it firmly, "Remember sweetheart, you shook on it." He smiled as the two of them sealed the deal.

Sera then rolled over and felt sleep slowly wash over her. She dreamed for the first time in a while. It was about the up and coming show and how successful it would be. But the dream slowly began to turn into a nightmare as she found herself unable to sing, let alone speak. Joker was standing over her holding a knife. The blade was covered in blood and suddenly she could feel something trickling down her neck. She grasped her throat and felt her blood gushing from a large wound. Her vocal cords were destroyed! Joker was laughing at her while waving the knife in her face. The audience was laughing at her expense and she wanted to scream but only a gurgling sound emanated from her.

It was frightening and Sera awoke in a cold sweat. She glanced at the clock, it read three am. She was boiling hot and ripped off her nightgown. Joker was out cold on his side of the bed. For good measure she touched her neck, glad to feel it was still in tact. She leaned back against her pillow and closed her eyes. She couldn't let one nightmare get in the way of her daily life. She had gotten very comfortable once again and nearly passed out when she felt Joker's arm flop over her. She cringed slightly, the memory of the nightmare still fresh in her mind and she lay still, hoping that sleep would return and along with it, pleasant dreams or none at all.

The following morning was a little rocky and she needed to shower to get rid of the sticky feeling all over her skin. Now she was preparing to leave for rehearsal and drinking as much tea as possible, heavily caffeinated of course. She had to leave Gabe home because he still wasn't up for going outside and was using his inhaler quite frequently. She could only hope he didn't have another massive attack. Leaving the house was hard, but she went to work. Joker wasn't bringing in any funds, so someone had to...even with her amassed fortune. But it was all hard-earned.

Joker was currently hiding in the guest room again, probably working out as he had been for days now. She could hear tinkering from the other side of the door, but never questioned him.

Today, the clown was doing something else...

He had been searching the internet for legal documentation and other 'assorted things'. He printed out several papers and began work right away on creating a fake driver's license. Won't Sera be surprised...

_To be continued..._


	26. Chapter 24

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 24

Forward in Time

Another five weeks had passed and the show was drawing closer and closer to premiering. Sera was getting nervous and spent countless nights in the basement rehearsing for hours and when she wasn't singing, she was either drinking tea or soaking in the bathtub. She did everything possible to keep her voice in tiptop condition. Occasionally Joker would join her in the basement to watch her and even go over lines with her. He even sang a little. His voice improved quite a bit in such a short period.

The day before Thanksgiving was opening night. So about another week and she would be on that stage singing her heart out to Gotham's people. What made opening night even more nerve wracking, was that the mayor would be there and the famous Bruce Wayne. Sera blushed because the newspapers published an article about Wayne discussing the show and that he'd read about the rising young opera singer playing Christine. He commented on her beauty and vocals. There was a lot of pressure to live up to his expectations. What made this funny was after Sera stopped reading the article, she dropped the paper on the kitchen counter for a bath and after she returned to the kitchen, the paper was shredded up and tossed in the garbage. She suspected Joker was behind this and she laughed. Was he actually showing signs of jealousy? She didn't question it but smirked whenever she passed the guest room and heard Joker's grumbling.

Today was a very big day. Sera was currently at a salon and having her hair colored so she looked the part. They would also be adding extensions so her hair would reach mid-back. It was a long and costly process but in the end it looked great. Her hair was very curly and dark brown. Her eyebrows were also darkened and re-waxed so they looked nice. During her drive home, Sera couldn't stop looking at her rearview mirror. She looked so different and wondered how her son would react to the change.

Gabriel was running through the living room when Sera returned home and he bounded happily towards her, but stopped in his tracks, "Mommy?"

Sera smiled, "Uh huh!" she said replied and held out her arms, "You like it?"

"Uh...you don't look like you," Gabe said and he stepped into his mother's embrace.

"Exactly baby. I look like Christine. She's the heroine of the show."

"Oh. I miss your red hair," Gabe said sadly.

"It'll take some getting used to, but my hair will grow out when the show is over and will be red again." She hugged her son and dropped her bag on the counter, "Have you been alone in the living room all day?"

"Yeah. Daddy's hiding in the other room again," Gabe said and he returned to the living room to begin knocking down his fort while she wanted to get out of her work clothes and into something more comfy.

It felt really good to get out of her jeans and blouse in favor of sliding into her cotton yoga pants and a sports top. She planned to lounge about after a long day at the salon. A break from all musical related things was a given. She heard a something drop in the guest room and against her better judgement, wandered out of her room and to the guest room door. Usually she didn't approve of spying but she couldn't resist putting her ear to the door when she heard more odd noises coming from the room.

Suddenly the door opened and she stumbled inside. She crashed into Joker, who caught her. She pushed away from him and quickly composed herself.

"Joker! I was...um..."

"Listening through the door? he said, chuckling.

"Yeah...err no, no!"

Joker just laughed at her and patted her on the shoulder, "It's okay to be nosy sweetheart. I don't mind. Come have a look at my new arsenal..." He pushed gently on her back and guided her along the room. He also ran his fingers through her hair, "Very nice sweetheart."

There were boxes filled with metal sheets full of holes and scraps of plastic. Scattered all over the floor there were paint buckets, brushes, bits of wire and rope.

"I hope you put plastic down on my carpets before you painted anything," she groaned and saw a pile of what looked like firearms in the corner of the room, "You brought guns into my home?" she cried.

"Why yes. I sure do love firearms," Joker replied dreamily, "They're so great at getting the job done."

"What if Gabe picks one up?"

"Then I strongly suggest you teach him about guns before he blows his own head off..."

Joker picked up a rifle and cocked it. He aimed at the ceiling fan but placed the gun back down against the wall.

"I don't want Gabe handling any gun!"

"Who said he was going to handle a gun sweetheart?"

Sera sighed, "Just keep them out of sight." Then she looked into another box and saw what looked like hundreds of playing cards and she picked one up. "Ow!" she chirped and dropped the card before peering at her finger. A trickle of blood slid down her pointer.

"Careful they bite," Joker giggled and he took her hand to inspect the cut, "Razor edges. One of my favorite toys." He looked over her finger.

"I think I'm going to put a padlock on this room. I'll give you the key, but please keep it locked," she said and tried to take her hand back, but he continued to grip it.

"Easy sweetheart. I had no intentions of leaving my toys out where the kid can find them. Fine, a lock and key is good idea, but I am the only one who'll have the keys. Nobody enters the room without my consent." He then brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the tiny cut before letting his tongue run over it, clearing away any blood.

Sera closed her eyes, "I really wish you wouldn't do that. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Good," Joker replied and he let her hand go, "Now then, there's something I want to discuss with you. It's about my favor." Joker then closed the door, not wanting to attract Gabe's attention.

It was only a matter of time before Joker brought this up Sera thought and she stared at him intently, curious to know what he wanted. "Okay, what is it?"

"Does your son have an inheritance?"  
"Why is that of importance?"

"Just answer the question. Does he?" Joker repeated.

"Yes. I wanted to make sure he's taken care of."

Joker nodded, "In the amount of?"

"I don't know the exact dollar amount in there, but I made sure to notify my accountant to place half of my yearly earnings into Gabe's savings account and divide it up into cd's and an ira. When he turns eighteen, he will have access to the savings account. Then he will be able to tap into the ira's when he retires. That guarantees he will be set for life. Nobody else can touch this money."

"Hm...that changes everything then," Joker said, deep in thought.

"What do you mean? You weren't planning on trying to manipulate Gabe into allowing you access were you?"

"Well, I was considering that but I know how strict the retirement services can be. They won't talk to anyone who is not listed on an account. Not even power of attorney could do anything and I know you won't ever add me as a person to speak with so, here's my plan b. I've spent the last few weeks creating an identity and printing out documents for myself. I used your little 'Nathaniel Douglas' moniker."

Sera rolled her eyes.

"Yeah you liked that name," Joker said.

"Spur of the moment," she claimed.

"Since I'll never have access to your son's money, I've decided that I want access to yours."

"You already have access to my debit card and a nice house to live in, plus-"

"I want access to everything sweetheart," he said and moved closer to her. His hands snaked around her waist and he yanked her torso towards his, "I want to be added to your beneficiaries. I also want to be able to withdraw more than a mere five thousand on the days which I'll need a greater amount of funding. Don't worry sweetheart. I don't squander cash like a petty criminal," he joked, "I want control over your entire life."

"And you think I'll just give it up? Just like that?" she asked. She was thoroughly angry at this point.

"Yes. This is no joke...Sera."

Joker never called her by her first name unless he was being super serious or threatening. He looked into her eyes, she didn't appear convinced and even slipped out of his grasp.

"How can I add you? It's not easy to get someone unrelated onto my account without extensive legalities," she said.

"Then we'll get ourselves related," he replied casually.

Sera's eyes widened, "No! No way! I refuse to do that!"

"C'mon sweetheart, I haven't even dropped to one knee and you're already refusing me?"

"You don't even exist!"

"Nathaniel Douglas does. It's all in the paperwork. All we'd have to do is go down to the courthouse and get a license and enjoy the bliss for a few days. Then we go to bank and make a few changes." Joker grinned.

"I am not marrying you!" she shouted.

"I had a feeling it would come to this..." Joker sighed and he opened the door once again, "Kiddo! C'mere for a minute!"

"Don't you dare!" Sera growled.

It was too late. Gabriel already appeared in the doorway and stepped inside. Sera was about to claim her son and get him away from Joker but the clown quickly stopped her by stepping between them and getting down on one knee in front of the boy, "Kiddo, wanna play a game with your mom and I?"

"Yeah!" Gabe cried and he squeezed his doll happily.

"Okay, since you came into the game last, you get to be 'it'," Joker said, "So to be 'it' you get to be blind-folded and have a pair of headphones on your ears." Joker ripped off a piece of the silk curtains and tied it around Gabe's head. He then picked up the headphones attached to the laptop and placed them over the boy's ears. "Now I'm going to play some music and you are going to kneel in the middle of the room between your mom and I."

Gabe did as he was told and Joker turned iTunes on the laptop. Once the music began, he stood back up and backed away. Sera was about to lunge for Gabe, but Joker quickly removed a gun from his waistband before pointing it at her.  
"Back off sweetheart. You have a decision to make," Joker said sternly, "What's it gonna be?"

"You wouldn't fire a gun in this complex, the neighbors will hear!" she cried.

Joker then pointed the pistol at the wall and pulled the trigger. It was barely audible, but the pistol fired and next thing Sera knew, there was a hole in the wall. She gasped, "Oh my god! Are you crazy?"

"Silencer sweetheart and yes, for the millionth time, I am crazy. Now then, back to business." He then pointed the pistol at the back of Gabriel's head, "You have till the count of ten to give the right answer. One..."

"Don't do this!"

"Two."

"I'm begging you!"

"Three."

Sera fell to her knees and pleaded with him but he counted through four, five, and six without letting up. Tears poured down her cheeks and she could see no other way out.

"All right! I'll do it! I'll marry you..." she shouted.

Joker lowered the weapon, "Good choice. Now get your coat, we're going down immediately."

"What?"

"Now..." Joker said and he shooed her out of the room. He put the pistol back into his waistband and followed her out of the room.

Gabriel was still seated on the floor, wondering what was going on and he took the headphones off and removed the blindfold, "Mommy? Is the game over already?"

* * *

Sera was seated in Gotham's city hall waiting for her name to be called. Joker, in full disguise was next to her, doing everything in his power to make her uncomfortable. He kept touching her and taking her hand, pretending to be a loving 'partner' in front of the clerks and officials who bustled about. When her name was finally called, Sera approached the front desk and spoke with the clerk about getting a marriage license and she provided her driver's license and birth certificate. Joker did the same with his false identification but the clerk didn't question it. To her it looked authentic and she began to process them. Next the two of them were asked to fill out a few papers and they were given two business days to receive their new certificate in the mail. Sera paid the forty dollar fee and thanked the clerk. Then both she and Joker took back their ids and exited the building.

"That was easier than I expected," Joker commented as he stuffed his license in his pocket.

"Yeah...right," she replied sadly. Her heart was broken. She figured now that her life was coming back together, she would meet someone in the future and possibly get married to the man of her dreams. Instead she was falling back into a bad rut being in Joker's company and now she was stuck with him for an eternity or at least until he tired of her and forced her to divorce him. If she continued to bring in money the way she did, she'll probably never even hear the 'D' word.

The ride home was silent but soon enough, she will be picking up her son from the babysitter and she would have to figure out a way to explain to him about the marriage.

"Call your sitter sweetheart, tell her you need Gabe to crash the night and you'll pay extra," Joker said.

"What for?" Sera asked and she pressed her foot to the break pedal to slow for a red light.

"Well, I would have thought you'd know what happens on a married couple's first night. I want a kid-free evening."

"Fine, I'll call when I get out of the car."

She kept that promise and notified the sitter of the extended stay and the offer of higher payment. Afterwards Sera found herself in the bedroom, relaxing on the bed with a book. She didn't know what Joker was up to. The second they got home he sent her to her room while he spent time in the kitchen. He was cooking something and the sweet smell reached the hallway. Whatever it was, she hoped it would be edible.

When the bedroom door creaked open and Joker popped his head in, Sera put her book aside and watched as Joker signaled for her to follow. She rolled off the bed and padded silently behind Joker and into the dining room. The table had been set up and she saw a small pie sitting in the center.

"I hope you like cheesecake my lovely. It's been a long time since I've made one." He proudly began slicing up two pieces of the cake and gave her one, "Not exactly a cake, but in my opinion, better." After serving her, he gave himself a slice and sat down directly opposite. He took a spoonful and bit into the savory dish, "Delicious..." He peered across the table at Sera. She seemed a little skeptical, "Try it."  
Not wanting to feel his wrath, Sera picked up her spoon and nibbled on a bit. To be honest, it was pretty tasty. "New York style?"

"Yup. I got pretty good at making this," he said, munching on another spoonful.

She'd eaten about half of hers before pushing the plate away, "Sorry, I guess I'm not very hungry tonight."

Joker didn't finish his either, "Not a problem, it just means we can jump to the best part even sooner." Then he got up and took her by the hand, "Shall we?" He helped her up and pulled her along the hall until they reached the bedroom once again. Joker sat down on the bed, "Strip," he ordered.

"What?"

"You heard me. Everything off." He then waited for her to comply. When she didn't he grew impatient and yanked her towards the edge of the bed where she was now standing between his knees. He pushed up the hem of her blouse and traced two fingers along the waistband of her jeans, "I guess I'll just have to assist you sweetheart. But you will take an active role because I don't plan to drug your ass with spores. I want this to be of your own free will."

"Joker, I can't do this of my own free will. I don't love you..."

"Then you will learn to love me. I told you before, I can be a very good lover and I'm extremely convincing," Joker said and he planted a kiss below her bellybutton. Gently his hand slowly started to slide up her stomach and met with the underwire of her bra. He didn't go under just yet, but roamed over the top of the lace.

"You threatened my son today. How can you expect me to be so accepting?"

Joker then unbuttoned her jeans, "Wasn't loaded."

"Bullshit, you fired a hole in my wall!"

"Wasn't loaded after that shot."

"You're saying there was only one round in the chamber and you purposely-"

"Yup. I wasn't about to shoot the kid. He's way too valuable."

Sera didn't know if she should be insulted and slap him or to be relieved. So Joker had no intention of killing Gabe today. He did keep his word on not harming the boy, though his method is very unorthodox. Still, he tricked her into signing her life away and she hated him for that. She couldn't trust anything that he said. Why didn't she know better? "How can I believe anything you say?"

Joker just smirked and continued his fluttering kisses along her belly. He pressed his fingers along her bra and finally lifted the material so his hand sunk underneath to the enclosed flesh. He pulled away momentarily, "You're so beautiful..." He knew exactly what he was doing. Women were so easily swayed and he would have her begging for more in no time. Then his tongue slithered from his lips and connected with her hip, trailing circles around her stars. His other hand pulled down the top of her panties, revealing the fully healed message he left behind. The scarring was smooth. He kissed the distorted flesh and let his tongue run all over it.  
Sera stood there, cringing. She didn't want Joker to touch her like this again.

"Why so tense sweetheart? This is technically your wedding night," he chuckled, "Are you afraid of me?"

"Y-yes."

"Awe I'm flattered but sweetheart, I'm not looking for fear tonight." He then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap so they were now face to face. "I'm looking for passion." His mouth brushed against hers and he allowed his hands to slide up her back to begin fumbling with the clasp of her bra.

His voice was steadily transforming from raspy to smooth and velvety. Sera found it harder and harder to resist him. She kept her hands pressed against his chest, but he encouraged her to slide them around his shoulders. Then his lips captured hers. Her heart wasn't in it and he could tell. He broke the kiss...

"C'mon sweetheart. Hasn't there ever been a time where you wanted to be fucked?"

"Both times I've gotten it, it was very unpleasant and by someone I have no emotional attachment to."

Joker thought about it for a second, "Oh so you want pleasant. I can do that." He looked at her, "You seem a little preoccupied."

"I'm worried about my son. I don't believe you will ease up on your threats."

Oh brother. Joker had had about enough of this, but figured he would need to humor her. He quickly thought of a way to reassure her, "Okay sweetheart, whether you believe me or not, I promise that I won't threaten nor hold another weapon to your son for the remainder of my life. Clown's honor..." he added.

"Never?" she asked.

"Never ever," he replied and held up his hand.

She was still a little skeptical but when she looked him in the eye, he appeared so sincere and she relaxed her shoulders.

"That's my girl," he said and brought his mouth down on her chest, kissing the cool skin. He finally managed to get that pesky clasp apart and her bra straps separated. Then he lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Her bra slid down her arms and hung off her elbows. He gently tugged that off her and he dove for her chest, licking and sucking the delicate flesh.  
Sera could feel his fingernails raking along her back and then his hands slipped down to her rear, hands squeezing into her jeans and grabbing her buttocks. Next thing she knew, a sense of pure bliss started to rise in her subconscious. Joker was being so tender with her. It wasn't like the other times. The night Gabriel became sick was the closest to this moment, but for some reason she was actually enjoying it. Her body was accepting him and eventually her mind would be too.

While he continued his affections along her breasts, he suddenly felt Sera's hands wander up to his hairline and begin massaging the back of his scalp. Her nails occasionally scraped along his skin, sending shivers down his spine. So she was slowly coming around. With that thought rolling around in his head, he targeted her left breast and latched onto it. His tongue swirled the areola and flicked its tip, erecting it. Her back arched into his embrace, giving him even more access.

Joker wanted to move things forward a little and he picked her up by the waist. He turned around and dropped her on the bed before attacking her jeans and ripping them down her legs. Then he crawled onto the bed, pinning her arms down and returning his mouth to her soft mound. His tongue ran along the underside of her breast and then down her belly until he reached her panties. He focused for a moment on her scars, tracing along them while his fingers hooked under the strings and tugged them off. Then he lowered his face to her groin and breathed in deeply before settling his tongue on her labia. He pushed apart her thighs and let his tongue slither down her slit. It dipped in and out of her crevice and slid along her folds. He occasionally sucked one of the delicate flaps into his mouth and cleaned it of its delectable juices.

Her fingers were tangling in his hair as he kissed and teased her. She pulled gently every time his tongue stroked along her clitoris. "Ah..." she groaned when an intense sensation buzzed through her pussy. He was now content with tormenting the tiny pearl and only became satisfied with his work when his chin was dripping with fluid. Then Joker sat up and slipped his t-shirt off and tossed it aside. He undid the button on his jeans and kicked them off, leaving his boxers in place.

Sera let the clown pick her up again and they returned to their previous position only Joker was now lying back against a few pillows. She was seated on his lap staring down at him. A grin was plastered across his face and he appeared to be waiting for her to do something. She took a hint and slid down his legs a bit while her hands gripped his shorts and began pulling them down. His length sprang upwards as it came into view and Joker instantly grabbed onto it while she tossed aside the shorts. While he stroked, Sera brought her face down and started by pressing her lips to the tip and working her way down the underside. When her mouth met with his hand, his finger stroked her cheek. Then she moved back up and took the entire head into her mouth and started to suck.

"Oh...shit..." Joker moaned as he relaxed into the blow-job. His hand moved from his base and rested on the back of her neck, acting as a guide. He could feel her tongue running along his cock, adding to the immense pleasure. He didn't want her to do too much, otherwise he would peak before having the chance to fuck her so he tapped her gently on the throat. She backed off and crawled back into his lap, her wet folds connecting with the side of his penis. Her fluids seeped down his groin, making his skin slippery. Then Sera started to undulate her hips and spread around her juices so his entire lap was covered.

It wasn't long before he couldn't take much more of this. His cock was screaming to be enclosed in the soft, velvety contours of her body. He then grabbed her hips and repositioned her. There was no complaint or resistance from Sera. Passion graced her facial features and she adjusted her knees so they were digging into the mattress. With Joker's hands setting on her hips, she reached between them and held his penis as she lowered herself. Her folds spread wide as his length passed through them. For a moment they remained still, but Sera started with a slow pace.

He liked having her on top, it meant less work for him but still felt just as good. Hearing her mewls and cries for more was music to his ears. She'd forgotten her hatred of him for the sake of eroticism.

In a flash, Joker flipped the two of them over and encouraged her to get on her hands and knees. He entered her from behind and liked being able to control the pace. Plus the new position brought on a different sensation. His length was pushing against her g-spot and caused her to cry out. Sweat poured from his forehead as he increased the pace and he even reached for a handful of Sera's newly curled hair and he pulled it so she was now upright. Her back touched his belly and his mouth dove for her neck while his hands roamed all over her torso, cupping her breasts and scratching the tender flesh of her tummy. One hand went so far as to press on her swollen clit to increase her erotic bliss. There was only one thing he could think of that would make him even happier.

"Do you want to orgasm?" he asked between gasps.

She didn't reply right away.

"Do you?" he asked again while stroking heavily at her core.

"Yeah..." she moaned, barely able to speak.

"You have to do something for me before I let you. Do you want to know what that one thing is?"

One of her hands joined his at her center to play with her very desperate pussy. She was so close to the edge of the world and he was teasing her now? "What?" she uttered, still gasping throws each of his thrusts. He was holding a steady pace now, just barely letting her stay within arms reach of her climax...it wasn't fair!

"I want you to say one single word..."

"Hm?"

Joker's mouth inched close to her ear and he whispered something. Sera's eyes widened and she shook her head profusely, "No..." she moaned, "Can't..."

"I know you're close sweetheart and you won't be able to hold it in, but I'm prepared to keep you here as long as it takes to make you say it." He continued thrusting into her, just hard enough to keep her below the threshold. Then he changed their positions once again to the traditional missionary. He wanted to see her face when he finally got her to cry it out. "C'mon my lovely...entertain me."

Her insides were ripping themselves apart with passion. Her pussy was on fire and her clitoris was howling for relief. She wouldn't be able to hold out like this and there was no way she would allow him to cut her off, but this was utter humiliation...however at the same time, ridiculously erotic.

She turned her head to the side, but Joker's hand flew up to her face and he turned it back.

"Look me in the eye and say it..."

She squeezed her eyes closed, but decided she couldn't go without relief for another second and she let her lids crack back open. She peered up at him and finally gave in to his whims...

"H-h..." she struggled, trying to swallow her pride.

Joker leaned in so his nose was touching hers. He was all ears and his eyes bore into hers, "Say it..." he whispered seductively.

"Husband..." she finally mustered.

Having won the battle, Joker upped his paced and sent his lips crashing down on hers. His kiss was very deep and she accepted it whole-heartedly. Then she felt an eruption within the depths of her womb and she cried into his kiss. Her voice was heavily muffled. Then seconds later, he followed. Without ending their kiss he poured every drop of seed into her and continued thrusting until he was empty.

Her body was tired, but content and she continued to kiss him until he was ready to separate from her. His fingers were tangling through her hair and then one hand wrapped around the back of her neck; a very dominant move, yet gentle. He broke the kiss and glanced over her expression. She was worn out and her eyelids were half closed.

"That wasn't so hard was it sweetheart?" he said as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. He then slowly began to back up, letting his softening length slide out of her.

Ashamed, she turned her head but this allowed Joker to whisper other words into her ear, "And just think, you did this of your own free will. What a compliment to me sweetheart." He then placed a small kiss on her neck and in his own exhaustion, rolled off of her, "Now get some sleep my lovely. I may wish to have sex again in the morning and I won't have my new wife unconscious through it." He then slipped an arm around her and pulled her close.

She had no trouble falling asleep after the romp, but her dreams refused to spare her of humiliation. She had a repeated vision of Joker's commands during the act and she suffered through it over and over, but couldn't awaken from it. Tears fell down her cheeks as she slept.

_To be continued..._


	27. Chapter 25

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 25

Showtime

Sera had hoped she'd be able to escape Joker that morning by hiding in the bathroom but when the clown awoke to an empty bed, he chased her into the living room and pinned her on the floor. There he held her down while she struggled and he forced her into submission. He rather enjoyed these games of cat and mouse. At one point he had her by the hair and was thrusting into her from behind. Her hands were grasping his thighs; nails digging and she was gasping. Joker took advantage of her open mouth and shoved two of his fingers inside, feeling her warm tongue as it wriggled around the digits. Joker was whispering into her ear throughout the act, mostly dirty words and what he wanted to do to her in the future. It got the reaction he wanted. Her pussy was soaked, making it easier for him to fuck her harder.

Eventually she was pushed up against the couch and she was crushing a pillow to her chest whilst crying out her inner pleasures.

His skin was soaked with perspiration, but he carried on. "Do you like this?" he asked and he tugged on her hair again to get her to rear-up. He squashed his arms around her and licked her ear before whispering, "Do you like being fucked sweetheart?"

Her hands grasped his arm and she leaned her head back against his shoulder. Her mouth fell open and she let out a deep moan. The pillow in her arms fell to the floor.

"Talk to me my lovely," Joker encouraged and he began stroking her throat.

She shook her head in defiance and awaited his anger, but it didn't come. Instead, Joker's hands slithered down her front and pressed against her scars.

"Do I have to add to this?"

Fearful of being knifed again she spoke, "No..."

His hand moved even lower until the tip of his index finger met with her labia. He fingered around the soft flesh and listened to her tiny mewls, "So sweetheart, answer my question. Do you like being fucked?"

She swallowed hard before finally replying, "Yes..." She was being somewhat truthful. After the initial few times of sex, it no longer hurt and became a bit more enjoyable, but she still felt horrible about her partner.  
His fingertip brushed against her folds and he touched his length as it slid in and out of her. It made him so hot. Watching himself impale her was one thing, but actually feeling his thick penis as it moved was another. It was slathered in fluids and pulsating. "Oh fuck..." he groaned as he wrapped his hand around his base and continued pushing into her.

She heard his gentle cry and couldn't help but feel warmth spread down to her toes and she reciprocated with a soft whimper. Her eyes closed as Joker released her and she fell forward. On her own accord, she turned over and rested against the couch cushions while Joker leaned over. Their lips connected and Joker coaxed her to part hers so he could dip his tongue inside, however he was beaten to the punch. Surprised he smiled and let her plunge her hot and wet tongue into his mouth. The intense kiss lasted for several minutes until Sera felt the familiar rush of orgasm emerging. Her fingers flexed and she dug her nails into his back, dragging them downwards. She threw her head backwards into the pillows as she cried out.

Joker flinched from the action but found it so erotic that he thrust even harder, releasing deep guttural growls. Perspiration dripped from his forehead and onto her chest as he increased his speed and he grimaced. Orgasm erupted; powerful waves of heat and pleasure washed over him and he moaned his contentment. Then he peered down at Sera, whom was breathing hard and trying to relax. He sat back on the couch, his penis sliding out of her, leaving a trail of his seed on the interior of her thigh and smiled, "That was nice, my lovely..."

Sera sat up and touched her leg, wiping away the pale liquid dribbling downwards. "Ugh...this stuff is so sticky."

"Yeah, gets the job done," Joker teased and he patted her on the leg.

"I need a shower," she sighed.

"So do I," he said, "Every opportunity to see you naked makes me horny."

"We just got through-"

"That means nothing. I can go for another round at any time sweetheart."

She groaned, "I don't feel like it. I just want to go through a whole day without taking my clothes off."

"I've been dry for nearly seven years sweetheart. I'm taking advantage of you as often as I can."

Arguing wasn't on her to-do list today so she quickly tried to change the subject. Her eyes darted to a huge laceration on his leg. She remembered from Joker's hospital files about the gaping wound on his leg, but it never specified how it was obtained. It must have been at least six inches in length, "How did you get that scar?" She pointed to his leg.

Joker touched the old injury. He wasn't fond of how he obtained it, "Previous girl got a little frisky with a knife. Let's say she had bad aim and I would have killed her right then and there if I wasn't in so much pain. Don't you ever get any ideas like that sweetheart."

"Eve did this? I'm surprised she had a knife to begin with."

"She didn't. I'm not going to say how she got ahold of mine but believe me, it will never happen again." He ran his fingers along the scar, "Still, I left some pretty good marks on her. Nicer than this one that's for sure." He chuckled.

Sera didn't want to hear the gory details and got up for a shower.

It was a very quick bath, Joker didn't make any advances towards her but the two of them immediately dressed. Apparently he wanted to go straight to the bank and make changes to her account. They had their temporary marriage certificate, which would be enough in conjunction with Joker's fake id to add him to the account. Joker coaxed her out of the house and he drove them to Gotham City Bank. He was under a heavy disguise consisting of a heavy trench coat and wide brimmed hat.

They had to wait nearly a half hour for Sera's accountant to summon them upstairs in private. Joker underwent a short interview based on his marriage to Sera. The accountant was confused. He had no idea Sera was recently married, but he did as she asked and added her 'husband' to the account. All information was approved and given clearance. Sera was depressed when they left. Nothing in her life was sacred now and who knows what Joker would do to her credit. He claimed to 'behave' when it came down to her money, but would he really? It was best that she try to think of other things and picking up her son would help.

Gabe was excited to see his mother and charged her the second the door opened. She paid the sitter and they returned home. It was only a few days until the show's premiere and she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Gabe before her nights were eaten up with performances.

* * *

She was nervous as hell. It was premiere night and the audience was packed with people. About half of the crowd was friends and family. The other half was political figures, business owners, and a few celebrities. Sera swallowed hard as she stared at her mirror, applying fresh makeup.

"Stop worrying Sera! You'll be great!" Trisha said.

Sera glanced at her friend, a glum expression embraced her features, "I know, I can't help it. I'm so nervous. Do you have any tums?"

"You can't take tums! They will mess with your voice! Drink some water with a splash of lemon and try to calm down." Trisha then busied herself with putting feathers and jewelry in her hair.

As the actors finished dressing, the back room door flew open and stage manager Charlie barked, "Ten minutes people!"

"Oh my gosh!" Sera cried.

"Stop it Sera! You're making me nervous!" Trisha cried.

The other actors were slowly moving out into the backstage area, leaving Trisha and Sera alone. The dressing room door opened once again and in bounded Gabriel. The little boy was dressed in a nice little suit for the premiere, complete with Ironman in his arms. Joker followed in close behind, also dressed to the nines.

"Mommy!" Gabe cried and he jogged over to her. He buried his face in the burgundy and cream slave outfit she wore.

Sera wrapped her arms around Gabe, "Are you here to wish me luck?"

"Yeah! You look pretty mommy! So do you Trisha!"

"Awe, thank you little man!" Trisha replied happily and she hugged Gabe as well, "We better take our places." She then looked at Joker and smiled at him before nodding.

"Ma'am," Joker said and he nodded towards Trisha as she exited the dressing room.

"You should take your seat, you'll miss the overture," Sera said and she stood up.

Joker grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his chest. He planted a kiss on her mouth and shortly thereafter said, "Break a leg."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" she retorted.

Joker laughed, "It would make for some fine entertainment!"

She pushed away from him, "Gabe, why don't you go back out and find your seat."

"Okay!" Then Gabe jogged out of the dressing room and back to the front. Joker cracked a big smile at her and eventually followed the boy. Sera gulped and moved towards the door herself, heading for stage right.

The show's overture began to play...

Sera waited for her cue with the other slave girls and all of them took stage when the time came. While she danced with the other girls, she caught a glimpse of Gabe and Joker seated in box three. The little boy looked happy, playing with his doll, not really paying attention to the show. It made Sera smile and she received comfort in knowing that her son was in view. Even the clown looked content watching. Her next cue was coming up shortly and she would be revealed as Christine when her colleague would pull her out from the line of slaves.

Then it came, La Carlotta stormed off stage and the 'stage manager' pulled Sera forward.

This was it and the scene faded to black. Sera rushed backstage to put on her lovely white and silver dress and ran back up for the cue. When the lights came up, Sera could hear the orchestra begin to play the beginning to 'Think of Me'. The the maestro gestured to her and she began singing...

_'Think of me, think of me fondly  
When we've said goodbye  
Remember me once in a while  
Please promise me, you'll try'_

She continued as she was finally able to scan the audience and see all the figureheads of Gotham's finest companies. She saw the most important political figures in the boxes. Bruce Wayne was seated alongside the mayor in box nine. It appeared that he was entranced by her performance. She'd heard rumors that Wayne had a tendency to fall asleep during shows.

Gabe's attention was fully on his mother and she saw his great big smile and that he was waving to her. Joker had to pull him back from the edge of the box a few times because it looked like the boy was going to fall over the side. Sera was grateful for that and eventually smiled when Gabe waved at her again. It wasn't part of the show, but Sera raised her hand and gestured to her son to make him feel special. Then the last few lyrics were upon her.

_'Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade  
They have their seasons, so do we  
But please promise me that sometimes  
You will think...'_

These lyrics caught Joker's attention. That was the phrase Sera sang years ago during their encounter in the locker room and he grinned, fondly remembering the moment his cock pushed into her virgin passage. Oh how amazing it was...

On stage, Sera smiled before delivering the last two words of the song. The orchestra paused, awaiting her rise through the scales.

_'Of...me!'_ she finally sang. She held the final note for several seconds and the audience erupted in cheers and applause. The initial breakthrough of her first leading performance was gratifying. Sera smiled and awaited for the curtain to close before her. She caught a glimpse of her son insanely clapping and cheering to her. He long ago dropped his doll to focus on her performance. Joker remained seated but he had a grin and clapped gently. To him, this surely meant she would have future leading roles and spectacular paychecks to accompany them.

The red curtain dropped before her and she ran off stage to prepare for the next scene.

Thirty minutes into the show, the biggest number was currently playing. Everyone was familiar with this one, 'The Phantom of the Opera' and the widely recognized boat scene. Sera and the phantom had a duet. It was so romantic and sensual. They both held the audience captive.

Then the one scene that Sera adored and was the reason she wanted the role of La Carlotta to begin with was currently going. It was where the Phantom plays a cruel trick on Carlotta during the song 'Poor fool, He makes me laugh!'. Trisha was singing her lines right after the phantom planted elixir in her water.

Sera was prancing around in the background as the silent servant boy when she waited for the best line of the show in her opinion.

Trisha then sang' _'You cannot speak, but kiss me in my Auuuuuuuuugggggghhhhhh!'_ she croaked.

The audience was laughing very hard, including Joker. "No wonder Sera wanted the part!" Joker squealed. Gabe was rolling on the floor, cracking up.

Eventually the intermission was upon the cast and it gave the actors a short break to reapply makeup and get a drink. There was plenty of tea and lemon water available. Sera dove for the tea and gulped down the warm fluid.

"Sera! You were great!" Trisha cried.

"So were you! I almost broke character when you croaked!" Sera replied, giggling.

"Alright people! Fifteen minutes to curtain call!" Charlie yelled over the shouts and cheers from the actors.

Sera crashed into her chair and peered into the mirror to fix her eyeliner and placed more powder on her forehead and chest. "Shit, these dresses are hot," she commented.

"I feel your pain," Trisha said as she dabbed tissues on her chest and inside her bodice, "These things weigh a ton!"

After composing and hydrating themselves, they all prepared for the second act.

In the box, Joker nearly drifted off to sleep waiting for the next act to begin, but he was startled awake by Gabriel.

"I have to go potty," Gabe said innocently.

"Oh...alright," Joker replied, slightly annoyed but a bathroom break would probably be a good thing right now. He got up and followed the child out into the hall and to the nearest restrooms. Gabe quickly picked a stall to do his business as Joker stepped into another. He had a plan to enact soon and started contemplating his next move. He met Gabe at the sink where they washed up and left together. They returned to their box just in time for the orchestra to begin the next overture.

The first portion of the second act was relatively long. Joker was getting antsy in his seat and then decided he needed to act soon. He planned this for weeks. Those sessions with Sera in the basement were of great help and he knew exactly what he was supposed to do. He tapped Gabe on the shoulder, "Stay put shorty, you're in for a treat." Joker then got up and disappeared through the curtain, heading for backstage.

He stepped into the dressing room. Nobody gave thought to his presence and he freely roamed around looking among the costumes and finally came across a long black cape. He took it from the hanger and draped it over his shoulders. A black shoulder length wig and matching mask resided on a mannequin nearby and he took them. He shielded himself from view of the other actors by ducking behind the racks. His hair was tucked under the cape and he put on the wig, followed by the mask. The ensemble was perfect. His face was hidden beneath the mask so nobody should recognize him unless they were up close. Next Joker snuck past the actors and out towards backstage.

Sera was doing a scene with a large number of cast mates. They were dancing with the set covered in red and black flames. Joker quickly ran to stage left and saw that 'the phantom', Alexander Garcia, was waiting for his cue to enter. There wasn't anyone else around for the moment so he needed to act quick. From inside his tuxedo, he retrieved a small cloth and a bottle. It read chloroform. He doused the cloth with the liquid and rushed in behind Alexander. Joker wrapped his arm around the actor's throat and quickly subdued him to the floor while pressing the cloth to his face under the man stopped struggling. Then Joker dragged the actor behind a stack of boxes and hid him beneath a costume rack before ripping away his microphone and stealing the actor's costume. He change fast and attached the microphone to his belt before slipping the cloak back on. He rushed to stage left and waited.

The music slowed to a steady pace...

Then Charlie the stage manager approached Joker, "Your cue, 'Point of no Return', five seconds..." he said, not recognizing there was a different actor beneath the mask.

Joker nodded and counted to five...

Sera was seated center stage, looking lonely as she was supposed to. She was holding a flower; back turned away. Joker stepped out onto stage left, cloak partially covering his face. The audience turned to look at him. Now seemed like a good time. He remembered the words well...

"Passarino, go away;  
for the trap, it is set and waits for its prey."

Sera turned slowly to look over her right shoulder, something was off. She looked directly at the phantom with did Alexander's voice sound so different? She listened carefully to his next singing lines...

_'You have come here  
in pursuit of  
your deepest urge,  
in pursuit of  
that wish,  
which till now  
has been silent,  
silent . . .'_

Sera's eyes widened, it couldn't be. As the phantom continued singing in that melodic yet smooth untrained voice, she was certain it was him.

_'I have brought you,  
that our passions  
may fuse and merge -  
in your mind  
you've already  
succumbed to me  
dropped all defenses  
completely succumbed to me -  
now you are here with me:  
no second thoughts,  
you've decided,  
decided . . .'_

'Past the point  
of no return -  
no backward glances:  
the games we've played  
till now are at  
an end . . .  
Past all thought  
of "if" or "when" -  
no use resisting:  
abandon thought,  
and let the dream  
descend . . .'

'What raging fire  
shall flood the soul?  
What rich desire  
unlocks its door?  
What sweet seduction  
lies before  
us . . .?'

'Past the point  
of no return,  
the final threshold -  
what warm,  
unspoken secrets  
will we learn?  
Beyond the point  
of no return . . .'

Sera stood up and peered at Joker who awaited her to continue the show. She had the look of surprise and fear. The audience never knew this wasn't part of the show and she had to continue to not cause panic. She responded to Joker in song.

_'You have brought me  
to that moment  
where words run dry,  
to that moment  
where speech  
disappears  
into silence,  
silence . . ._

I have come here,  
hardly knowing  
the reason why . . .  
In my mind,  
I've already  
imagined our  
bodies entwining  
defenseless and silent -  
and now I am  
here with you:  
no second thoughts,'

Both of them were slowly walking towards opposite ends of the stage. There was a set of stairs on either side, within view of the audience. They slowly stepped upwards towards the ledge above as Sera continued.

_'Past the point  
of no return -  
no going back now:  
our passion-play  
has now, at last,  
begun . . .  
Past all thought  
of right or wrong -  
one final question:  
how long should we  
two wait, before  
we're one . . .?_

When will the blood  
begin to race  
the sleeping bud  
burst into bloom?  
When will the flames,  
at last, consume  
us . . .?'

On top of the ledge, the two of them walked towards the center until they were within reach of each other. Joker took her hand and spun her into his torso, her back pressed into his belly and they both broke out into the final verse, their voices entwining melodically.

_'Past the point  
of no return  
the final threshold -  
the bridge  
is crossed, so stand  
and watch it burn . . .  
We've passed the point  
of no return . . .'_

The music continued playing and Sera was going to move into the next number, but she had to wait for Joker to start. She hoped he knew the next scene otherwise she would kill him for ruining her premiere. His fingers wrapped around hers and he slowly brought her hands up to her chest, about to begin the next line...

Suddenly there was a cry from the audience and people were beginning to get up out of their seats. Joker and Sera stopped their scene and glanced into the crowds. People were panicking and screaming.

"What's going on?" Sera asked, "What did you do?" she accused Joker.

"This isn't my doing sweetheart," Joker replied angrily, "But someone else has a death wish!" Furious, Joker ran off stage and ripped off his costume while Sera kept watching the people. Then she suddenly saw a thick smoke beginning to emanate from the back of the theatre. It had a bright green tinge to it. What was that stuff? People were pushing for the exit but the doors were bottlenecked. Then an even bigger panic broke out when guests started collapsing in the dark green clouds.

"Oh my god!" Sera screamed and she peered up at box three. Gabe was still there, frozen in fear. "Stay there Gabe!" Sera shouted and she ran off stage right to get out into the halls. Smoke began filling the backstage area and Sera hiked up part of her dress and covered her mouth with it. She ran through the gasses until she found the stairwell to the second floor.

Gabriel was crying and calling for his mother, "Mommy! Where are you?" He saw her run off stage, but didn't know where she was. It was impossible for Gabe to hear her if she was yelling for him. There were so many screams. He stayed put in the box until the lights above the stage turned off, then he heard a loud explosion erupt from underneath the stage. Pieces of wood and assorted musical instruments from the pit flew sky high. A board hit Gabe in the arm and he dropped his toy. The boy fell to the floor and cried harder. The pain shot through his arm and up into his shoulder. "Mommy..." he moaned, hoping she would come for him but he needed to get out of the box.

Another explosion and more gas came pouring into the theatre from the rooftop. The stage was destroyed and there were bodies everywhere. People were impaled with wood and metal. Others taken down by the gas into a comatose state.

Sera rushed to the second floor. Her body was slowing down from inhaling so much of the gas. It was unusual that this gas smelled so familiar to her; a lot like the spores Joker breathed into her. Perhaps she didn't pass out right away was because her body was growing accustomed to it. She made it to the top of the stairs and flew towards seating. Box three was so close. She'd heard the explosions in the theatre and worried that Gabe may have been caught in one. People were pushing past her, going in the opposite direction and for the exits. Once she reached box three, she was horrified to see Gabe lying on the floor and blood seeping from a wound on his arm.

"No!" she cried and quickly grabbed her son. She picked him up and carried him out of the box. His head hung limply against her shoulder and she could hear his sniffles. "It's okay baby, we're going to get out of here," she said, trying to keep him calm.

There was another explosion and this time it was coming from beneath them. Sera and Gabe fell through as the floorboards collapsed.

* * *

Joker flew backstage just as the first explosion rang out. He could smell the gas. It had the same properties as his spores, therefore causing him no ill affects. Somethings was out of the ordinary. He found the back entrance, burst through the door and looked around. The building directly across was on fire as well. He peered up towards the roof and saw searchlights. Something was happening up there. He found the nearest fire escape and climbed to the rooftop, only to see a large black helicopter and several passengers climbing inside. Joker recognized those outfits they wore. They were the same as that 'Seven' character's armor.

"Hey!" Joker shouted, "Are you the fucks who spoiled my coming out party? I don't like when pricks like you steal my thunder!" He found long pieces of metal lying on the cement and picked up one. It was a pipe.

The men climbing into the chopper paid Joker no heed, further irritating the clown.

"I'm talking to you fucks!" he screamed but they continued to ignore him. So in his rage, he charged towards the chopper swinging the pipe. He was about to strike one of the men but his pipe clanged with the blade of a sword. That sword was connected to the arm of the one known as Seven. "You again?" Joker asked.

Seven held his position and signaled to his associates to continue. The chopper had all of the armored men and slower rose up. Seven waved for it to take off without him and returned his attention to the clown.

"You shouldn't have interfered," Seven said.

"I can say the same thing about you!" Joker retorted and he swung his pipe again.

Seven's blade met with the rusty pipe once again and he sent his foot flying into Joker's belly, pushing the clown backwards. Joker landed on the cement with a heavy thud and a grunt. He wasn't as young as he once was, so it took him longer to recover but he managed to stumble to his feet just in time to block a swing of Seven's sword. The blade crashed down on the pipe and with great force. Just as Joker was almost brought to his knees under Seven's strength, he waved his hand and materialized several vines. They captured Seven's limbs but suddenly, the vines fell away to the ground and disintegrated.

"What the?" Joker gasped. His vines, they were completely useless, "How the hell did you do that?"

Seven laughed; voice raspy from the scrambler, "Chlorogene, my friend. You are not the only gifted human on this planet."

"How did you know about the chemical's properties?" Joker asked.

Seven leapt towards the clown and continued to fight as he spoke. He dodged a punch from Joker and continued, "I was in charge of collecting samples from Chryogene and my associates under Ra's Al Ghul developed a safer serum to administer to my colleagues to immunize our bodies and gave us the ability to destroy plant life. We plan to poison all of Gotham and eliminate it's people." Seven pointed out at the city.

Joker looked out into darkness and saw that there was a vast amount of green gas spreading all over the city and there were explosions scattered here and there, "I get it, you targeted all major landmarks, political buildings, large establishments, and heavily populated areas."

"Right," Seven said and threw a fist at Joker's head, which missed, "It just so happens that majority of Gotham's elite were attending this show and would be conjugated in one building. It was like winning the lottery. At this point, majority of them are dead now and my men will be roaming the streets shooting anyone who manages to survive the blasts. Gotham is finished!"

"I assume the gas will take care of any stragglers?" Joker asked

"Right. We cannot be everywhere at once so the gas will do our cleanup work. After we finish off Gotham, we will strike another major city who's people have become overzealous and greedy!"

"What a ridiculous plot! It's been overdone! I myself attempted it with my gasses and it was thwarted by the Batman."

"Your Batman cannot save the city," Seven replied, "None of the gas detonators are linked. They will be impossible to disable. My associates and I made sure to spread them all over the city!"

"I don't care about the city!" Joker shouted, "I only care about the fact that you are trying to steal my act!" His pipe clanged with the sword again and the two of them were pushing against each other, "Gotham is mine to terrorize!" the clown screamed.

Seven burst out laughing once again, "You're so pathetic. I know about you Joker. You work alone these days and you are getting older. The once strong clown prince of crime is nothing more than a petty, rundown, sick and twisted freak! Just like Batman! I'll be sure to destroy all of Gotham's people, starting with you here and now! I'll make you suffer..." Seven growled and he pushed hard against Joker, forcing him back against a wall, "I'll make you suffer the same way you made me suffer!"

One of Joker's eyebrows rose up, "Do I know you?"

Seven chuckled and connected his foot with Joker's abdomen again, making the clown collapse again. "I should think you would," Seven commented and stepped back a few feet. His hand rose up to his helm and he grasped the armor from the top and slowly lifted it from his head.

Joker watched as the armor revealed Seven's true identity and he was shocked to see a pile of white hair spill out from under the helmet and a very feminine face make its appearance. His eyes widened as he saw the very much alive Eve. "Girly?"

"Don't call me that you lying, low-life piece of scum! You will refer to me as Seven! I only allow my brethren and Ra's Al Ghul to call me by my true name...being Noel!" she screamed and pointed her blade at him.

There was a moment of silence and the pair just stared at one another...until Joker started to cackle.

"How the fuck did you survive? That's two times you've risen from the dead!" he laughed, "Couldn't get enough of me could ya?" he teased.

Not a single emotion ran across her features, "I will exact my revenge against you for destroying my life Joker." She took on a defensive stance.

"Oh come on girly, I didn't destroy your life, Riddler did!" he laughed.

"It was you from the start! You turned me into this freak of nature, but Ra's Al Ghul gave me a new life. He is my master, my savior..." she said and raised her sword, "And I said...Don't call me girly!" she roared and charged. Her sword crashed down on his pipe.

Joker pushed against her and back onto his feet. He shoved her with all his might and caused her to stumble backwards. He lunged at her, sending his fist into her gut but her thick armor took a lot of the brunt. She groaned but quickly returned the strike and hit him across the face. Joker spun around from the force and lost his balance. He regained composure and turned back around. His lip was split and bleeding and the first trace of bruising was beginning to form across his cheek.

"You fight almost as well as a man," he said.

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you!" she threw back at him. This clearly pissed off the clown because he lunged at her again.

It had been a while since he used any acrobatics, but he managed to flip over her and nailed her in the back with his foot, "I'll be the only one telling the jokes around here!" He then jumped in the air and landed on top of Seven, pressing his pipe into her throat and holding down her wrist which grasped her sword.

She grasped onto the pipe with her other hand, trying to lift it off before it choked her.

"I seem to remember this position," Joker commented and he grinned at her, "We were like this the day that I carved those lovely wounds in your back, remember? I flipped you over and drove that glass into your perfectly white skin."

Seven growled and brought her legs up to wrap around Joker's shoulders. She kicked him off and quickly climbed to her feet. She was about to attack again, but then a light shone down on her. It was another black helicopter. It hovered only a few feet over her head and the door slid open. Ra's Al Ghul was revealed to be waiting inside.

"Noel! Climb into the chopper!" Ghul shouted to her.

"I can finish him master!" she called back.

"No! We must leave before we are tailed!"

As much as it annoyed her to stop the battle, Noel did as she was told and climbed onto the rope ladder. However, Joker had other ideas and he grabbed onto her foot as the helicopter lifted away. She did everything she could to kick him off and dropped her sword.

"Shit!" she cried and held tight to the ladder. The winds were blowing strongly as they went up even higher.

Joker was forced to drop his pipe and grasp onto the ladder as well. He began to climb up until he was parallel to Noel. He grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her head back, "I'll kill you this time girly!" However, that only lasted momentarily when he felt someone grasped onto his shirt and yank him upwards. Several men then tackled him and subdued him. They tied up his limbs quickly and someone struck him over the head with a blunt object. Joker fell unconscious.

Noel climbed into the helicopter, assisted by Ghul, "Thank you master. Now I may kill him."

"Not right now. You wish to exact your revenge correct? Why not prolong his suffering?"

Noel smiled, "I agree master."

The pilot of the helicopter then turned towards the back, "Master, we are being followed."

"By Batman, no less," Ghul said and he peered out the window, "I will deal with him personally. Return to base. We'll give our old friend a grand welcome."

_To be continued..._


	28. Chapter 26

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 26

Returning the Favor

The city was under red alert. Police officers, firemen, and paramedics were called from neighboring cities and towns to assist in the operation. All of Gotham was under fire. There has never been so much chaos and destruction. Towers were collapsing, homes were on fire, people were running through the streets trying to escape. Gas flooded the streets, taking out anyone trapped within the city limits.

The opera house was hit very hard and the building collapsed into itself. Gabriel managed to climb out from under a pile of wood and debris. He was injured and crying but managed to stand up. "Mommy?" he cried softly. He choked and coughed, a result of the gas but it didn't appear to be knocking him out like it did to the people in the theatre. "Mommy, where are you?"

"Gabe..." whimpered a seriously injured Sera.

The little boy's ears perked up and he followed his mother's cries until he found a section of the upper balcony. He limped around the mass of cement and screamed.

Sera was lying beneath the heavy section of balcony with a pool of blood surrounding her, "G-abe..."

Gabriel rushed to her and grabbed one of her hands, "C'mon mommy! We have to get out of here!" He tugged on her but it wasn't any use, she didn't move.

"I can't g-go with you G-abe...my body..." Sera stuttered.

Gabe dropped her hand and started pushing against the chunk of cement. It was probably several hundred pounds and he gave up after a few minutes to return to her side.

Sera had tears trailing down her cheeks, "Gabe, my angel...I want you to l-leave. Get outside and find the p-police. They will...take care of you."

"No! I want to stay here with you!"

"Do as I say..."

"No!"

Sera squeezed her eyes shut, causing more tears to trickle to the floor, "Gabe...please. I don't want you t-to see me like this..."

"Mommy..." Gabe whimpered and he touched her blood soaked hair, fully realizing how serious this was, "Are you hurting?"

"I can't f-feel any pain baby."

Gabe stayed by his mother's side but eventually heard people calling inside the ruins of the theatre. He didn't respond to them but they managed to find the pair. A fireman tried to pull Gabe away from the rubble but the little boy fought hard and the fireman let go of him. The fireman then produced a medical mask and slipped it over Gabe's face to cover up his nose and mouth. A few more firemen rushed onto the scene. One of them checked Sera, whom was trying to communicate for them to take Gabe. Upon further inspection, the fireman determined that her entire lower body was crushed and the chunk of balcony was holding her together. He shook his head towards his colleagues and signaled for them to allow Gabe to stay and keep Sera company. It was impossible for them to remove the cement and save her.

Gabe got down on his hands and knees and held her hand, ignoring his injury, "Mommy, I'm going to make sure the firemen get this thing off you," he said.

"I know you will," she said and cracked a small smile. She squeezed Gabe's hand weakly, "My angel..." and she kissed one of his knuckles. Then she rested her head against the marble floor.

"Mommy?" Gabe uttered and he gently tugged her arm. She didn't respond. "Mommy? Mommy!" he screamed and he began shaking her hand, trying to get her to talk. A fireman grabbed him around the waist and scooped him up.

"She's gone," the fireman said.

"No! She's just sleeping! Let me go!" Gabe screamed and he struggled in the man's arms. He burst into hysterics as his hand separated from Sera's, "Stop it! I want my mommy!" Screams filled the destroyed opera house as he was carried out into the city. Gabe was placed into a police car. The doors could not be opened from the inside.

"Take the child to the nearest hospital, he has a laceration on his forearm and a possible fracture," the firefighter told the officer seated behind the wheel. Gabe kicked and screamed as the vehicle drove off and to the outskirts of Gotham. He had no idea where he was going.

* * *

The room was blurry...

"Ah...my head."

"Oh you're awake. Welcome back."

Joker's eyes just barely refocused when he heard Seven's voice reply to him. He shook his head and saw a bright greenish-yellow light filling the room. Actually it looked more like a cave and the light was coming from the floor. A large tarp was draped across the glowing floor. When he tried to move, he realized his arms were chained to the ceiling and he was leaning against rock. His legs were roped together tightly. Even in his predicament he said, "Kinky..."

"Still have a sense of humor, even now," Seven said and she finally made her appearance in the dimly lit room. She was wearing a black leather bodysuit, but no armor. She had an array of weapons attached to the belt around her waist.

"Of course my dear," Joker replied, "So why Seven?"

"My name?" she asked and saw him nod. "Ra's Al Ghul is the only one I allow to refer to me as Noel. Seven just happens to be my recruit number. All recruits refer to one another by number."

"So what's on the agenda, girly?" Joker taunted.

Seven closed her eyes in frustration, "I told you..." she began and walked up to him. She looked him in the eye and next thing Joker knew her fist crashed into his jaw, "Never call me that!"

The pain slowly died down in his cheek, but his anger was welling. She definitely improved in her fighting abilities since he last saw her. What was even weirder was that she looked exactly the same. Her face remained that of someone in her late twenties, rather than the thirty-something she should have been. "I see you've gotten to be an even bigger bitch than before," he growled.

Seven grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked it so his neck was craning and was about to say something but she was interrupted by her master.

Ra's Al Ghul stepped into the old cavern, "Noel, toying with our guest already?"

"Master." She bowed her head and released Joker's hair.

Relief came to Joker's scalp and he flexed his neck a few times, "So you're the famous Ra's Al Ghul I've heard about through the chain and the only man never to grace the halls of Arkham. Never been caught..."

Ghul smiled, "Authorities lack the intelligence necessary to take me captive."

"So why am I here? Why didn't you kill me while I was unconscious?"

Ghul patted Seven on the shoulder, "My dear Noel has a score to settle with you and from her story, every torment she underwent took place while she was awake. Why deny her the opportunity to repay that favor?"

Joker sneered, "I will get out of this and your next death will be your last!" he shouted at Seven.

"Not while I am around," Ghul said. He left Noel's side and approached the tarp on the floor. He bent over, grabbed a corner and pulled it away to reveal a large green pool.

"What is that?" Joker asked.

"This is a lazarus pit my friend and you'll be witness to tonight's ceremony," Ghul said.

Seven joined Ghul's side, "It will be a sight to behold."

Ghul's arm draped itself around Noel's waist and he peered down at her, "It certainly will, my love." He then placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Joker's eyes narrowed. How dare this Ghul character give one of his victims purpose again!

When the couple broke apart, Ghul took his leave and Seven wandered over to Joker. She grasped at one of his chains and loosened it, but only just enough to turn him. His belly pressed against the rock wall and she tightened the chain once again. "Hold still," Seven demanded.

"Why's that hot lips?" he said, hoping to get a rise out of her, but he was shocked when she didn't strike him or say anything in return.

Seven then withdrew a knife and began cutting up the back of his shirt until it split and fell to the sides.

"Ah I see, planning to get happy with that knife?" he asked.

"Not exactly." Seven then pressed her fingertips to his back and felt along the length of his spine.

"A little lower hot lips," he groaned, clearly enjoying her warm touch.

"As you wish," she replied. She then reached for something attached to her belt.

There was a brief pause and Joker attempted to look over his shoulder until it happened...

Snap!  
Joker grimaced and nearly cried out when he felt the sharpness of a whip against the soft flesh of his back. It stung and burned when the leather rope fell away. Then it struck him again, going over the previous lash and causing him even more pain. He couldn't allow himself to shout or scream in agony, that would give her what she wanted...weakness. After the first ten lashes, his skin was a bright pink with darker lines representing where the whip struck but this didn't stop Seven from continuing. He suffered for thirty minutes and could no longer feel anything.

When the beating stopped, Seven happily rolled up the whip and reattached it to her belt. Then she reached for his bleeding back and ran her fingers along the deep cuts. Blood seeped down her hand. Her other hand reached for the chain and she loosened it enough to allow Joker to flip back over. His mangled back pressed against the rock and he grimaced, but didn't emit a sound. She showed him her scarlet hand, "Did you enjoy it as much as I did?" she asked as she pressed her bloody fingers to his neck and slid them upwards until they reached his jaw. The clown just stared at her.

Joker didn't smile and looked at her with extreme animosity. His dignity was tarnished and she wouldn't get away with it.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said softly and she grabbed hold of his chin and tilted his head down. They were now nose to nose. "I want to engrave all of this into your mind. Never forget..." and she crashed her lips to his.

He didn't kiss her back and attempted to snap at her. She backed away with her hand in front of her mouth, giggling. As she turned away from Joker, Ra's Al Ghul returned carrying a torch and he had her attention in an instant. "Master."

Ghul placed the torch in Noel's hand, "A gift. I'm sure you'll find it of use."

Noel smiled, "You always have the best ideas my love. Will it be time soon?"

"Very soon. The pit is not ready for me yet. I will return when the pool is fully rejuvenated. Spend your time wisely," he said and smirked.

Noel nodded as her master left her alone once again. She looked at the flame and then Joker and suddenly was feeling a little mischievous. She leaned the torch against a small pile of rocks and approached the clown once again, withdrawing a small knife.

"Oh I knew it would come to this," Joker said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He watched Seven as she brought the knife to his tattered shirt and began cutting up the front. The pieces fell away to the ground and he was standing there, chest exposed. When her hand reached the belt of his pants and cut the thick leather, he started to worry. The last time a knife was that close to his groin, he nearly lost a body part. He could feel his stomach starting to flip-flop, was she planning to finish what she started?  
"Don't you worry clown-boy, I'm not going to hack off your dick," she said, smiling. She could feel his panic when she yanked the belt from his waist and started fumbling with the zipper on his slacks. "I know you're into sadomasochism. So I'm going to let you have a taste of your own medicine." She managed to undo the pants and slid them down his legs before attacking his boxer shorts. When she had him exposed, she laughed, "Well that looks familiar." She touched his very flaccid length and saw a small scar running along the side of it, "That also looks familiar." She looked at Joker's face, not a sign of emotion. "So, how about we rekindle some lost love?" Her hand started stroking along his length.

"I see you've become quite the kinky bitch and a lunatic," Joker said. As much as he wanted to rip her arm off and gut her, he couldn't help the rush of adrenaline surging down his spine and into his groin. The pain in his back only added to the affect and he was slowly starting to get an erection.

Once she had his length at more than half mast, she pressed her lips to it and accepted him in her mouth, gliding back and forth slowly. Then she raised the knife and ran it along the tender flesh of his lower belly.

Joker grunted and then released a heavy growl as the knife started to cut him. He looked down and saw his blood seeping from the wound while she continued to suck his cock. His body was under great confusion, not knowing if it should be screaming in agony or overwhelmed with pleasure. He suspected that is exactly what she wanted. He tried a few times to wriggle and kick her off but to no avail. She would press the wound on his stomach harshly to get him to yelp and back against the rock. That knife kept cutting away at him and his flesh was starting to burn.

Seven sucked even harder and eventually she heard Joker gasp. She pulled away quickly and continued stroking him while he shot his load onto the ground. Then she allowed the knife to fall away from him and she looked over her handy work. She wiped away some of the blood, "Looks perfect," she said with pride. Written in all capitals along his belly was the word 'RAPIST', "It suits you. Now then, I wouldn't want this to heal poorly so we're just gonna close up the wound in a hurry." She withdrew her sword and walked over to the torch lying against the pile of rocks. She held her sword over the flames and waited for the blade to turn a bright orange. It took about five minutes but when it was ready she hurriedly carried the blade over to the clown. She took the rolled up whip from her belt and shoved it in his mouth, "You may want to bite down on this." She then pressed the hot sword against the horrific wound, making Joker writhe and groan in pain. "That's what I like to hear. Suffering. Your sex life is going to suck after this. You'll never find a willing partner again."

He spit out the whip, "Girly, I've n-never had to worry about w-willing partners! You should know better!" Joker yelled through his pain.

Seven dragged the sword upwards, foregoing the final laceration. The hot blade pressed on his upper abdomen and she watched his face, enjoying his grimace. The smell of burning flesh wafted around her. She was satisfied once she saw inflamed and scorched skin, "Looks fantastic."

There's never been a time where Joker had been under this much pain, not even when he faced off with the Batman. Batsy never played dirty. He knew it was mostly his fault that Seven was torturing him, but it gave him all the more reason to take revenge on her and inflict the worst agony she'll ever experience. In a way, he started to smile...

"You have some serious balls girly. I give you props for being the only woman to ever cause me pain like this. Mark my words, I will kill you in the end," Joker said, staring her directly in the eye.

"I'm not a weakling anymore clowny. I guarantee a fight you'll never forget, that is if you live after tonight," she replied and leaned her sword up agains the wall to cool. She ran her fingers up his stomach, feeling the burns.

"I look forward to it," he assured her with a toothy grin. He always found ways out of difficult situations, this would be no different.

Seven smiled, "As do I." She then hiked up Joker's boxers and trousers and hastily zipped them up, "A fight to the death, just like old times..."

"Why wait? Untie me and we'll start now."

"Sorry, I have a previous engagement. It will have to wait a little longer." She glanced at the pool, "The pit is glowing. I must summon my mas-" Seven didn't finish her sentence.

There was a series of shouts coming from the caverns and the sound of swords clashing against metal.

"What is going on!" Seven shouted and she drew her sword.

Joker watched as she rushed out of the cavern, leaving him alone with the lazarus pit and the torch. He glanced over his head and observed the chains. They were attached to two separate hooks and only loosened when the ends of the chains were unattached from the floor. In this case, he would have to find something small to pick the cuffs around his wrists. The floor was covered in rocks and splinters of wood, likely from recruits practicing with their swords on blocks of wood. He searched the floor for a piece that looked strong enough to pick a lock. One came into view but how to get it? It was inches away from his left foot. Perhaps he could stretch his foot out far enough to claim it. He tried once, but was only centimeters from it, "Damn..." he cursed. The chains needed to be loosened only slightly and he could get his toes around it. In a fit of frustration he kicked his foot out and suddenly the chain loosened. After a brief moment of confusion, he laughed. That stupid bitch forgot to retighten the chain! He was able to get the splinter now and he brought his foot up as high as he could and took the splinter from his foot by mouth. Now he had to very carefully spit the piece into his hand. It took many tries but he eventually did it.

The shouts were dying down in the nearing tunnels. Joker figured it must be the Batman. Batsy was very innovative and seemed to know every assailant's weakness so it's only natural the enemies would go down so quickly. Still, the league of shadows must be putting up quite a fight because the noise lasted for some time. He was fumbling the piece of wood through the cuff and soon enough, heard a snap. "Fuck!" he groaned as he heard the piece of wood break in two. His eyes scanned the floor for a stronger piece and he fumbled around the floor with his foot.

Twenty minutes later he finally found a slim piece of metal and was currently working on the cuff. His hands were aching from all the maneuvering but eventually he released one of them. His hand flopped out of the cuff and he began working on the other. When he finally released both hand he tumbled over. He needed to work quickly to get the cuffs off his feet. He picked them for several minutes, freeing one, but struggling with the other. The one on his left foot was a bit rusty and he had to wrench it off. It scraped his ankle, leaving a short trail of blood down his heel, but he was free. Now it was time to get in on the action, but avoid the Bat at all costs. This was going to be difficult, but fun! He gathered all the strength he could muster and climbed to his feet.

"How did you get loose!"

Joker quickly turned heel and spotted Seven standing in the corridor and he smiled, "Hello girly..." and he charged for her. However she had other plans and grasped onto his arm, wrenched it upwards and kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled backwards, "That was a weak kick. Tired from fighting?"

"It doesn't matter. You're outnumbered here!" she said and pulled her sword again, raising it over her head, "Surrender now or die."

"I think not, hot lips." Joker grabbed a handful of the chains lying nearby and braced for impact as Seven charged him. Her sword crashed on the metal and he pushed her back until she was shoved into a wall. Her strength waned a lot since fighting in the halls. "Well, well...looks like I'm once again on top," Joker said and he pressed the chains downwards.

Seven growled and she pushed against Joker, shoving him to the ground, "I'll kill you now!" She threw everything she had at him.

The sword was only a few inches away from his face. Her strength was immense; a side affect from the lazarus pit. The blade nicked his cheek, "You bitch!" he roared and kneed her in the gut. She rolled off of him and returned to a defensive stance, trying not to double over in pain. She waited as Joker lunged at her and she swung her sword...  
He attempted to block the sword once again with the chain, but the metal couldn't take anymore damage and it snapped in two. Joker grimaced as he felt the sharpened edge of the blade connect with his belly. It cut right into his skin, causing massive damage. He stopped in his tracks and howled. Blood poured from the terrible wound.

Seven laughed and backed away, withdrawing her weapon from his body, "I've done it! You can't survive that! Enjoy your stay in hell!"

Joker stumbled backwards, his hands grasping for his stomach. He tried to staunch the blood flow by pressing his hands over the gaping hole but it wasn't helping. His vision was blurring, "Shit..." he grumbled. He took another step back, eyes closing.

Seven was smiling. She enjoyed watching him slowly die. His hand were deep scarlet and his slacks were soaked. The ground was covered with a pool of his blood. "I had hoped your death would be more exciting, but I can deal with this," she said happily.

However her contentment was short-lived...

Joker was nearing dangerously close to the lazarus pit and she panicked, "Stop!" she screamed, but it did no good. The clown tripped over the now smoldering torch and fell backwards...into the bright pool. There was a heavy splash and he disappeared...

_To be continued..._


	29. Chapter 27

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 27

Revitalize

"No! Now the pit has been wasted!" Seven screamed as she witnessed Joker's body fall into the green waters. She rushed over to the pool and peered into it. She couldn't make out anything.

His skin burned. His eyes were closed tightly as the water swirled and bubbled around him. He dropped his chain long ago and found his fingers were flexing and twitching as they regained their strength. Water poured down his throat and rejuvenated him. The flesh of his stomach and back began to mend and a rush of energy spread through his limbs. His eyes burst open and he could see the surface of the pool and the shadow of his enemy looming above. Joker kicked his feet and flew upwards to the water's surface.

Seven frantically searched the pool for any signs of life and spotted a dark shape rising rapidly. She rose her sword high in the air and sent it crashing down upon the figure. Suddenly a pale hand flew out of the water and grasped onto her wrist, stopping the swing in its tracks. Then Joker's upper torso emerged. She was greeted with a horrifically wide grin as he climbed out the side of the pit, towering over her and using his massive strength to push her up against the wall. She was now outmatched...

"Heh heh...I feel like a million bucks girly!" Joker laughed and he grabbed her chin to force her to look at him, "I can see where you got your new-found energy and ought to slap myself for not seeking one of these pits sooner!"

Seven got a fast look of his body. All the cuts on his belly were gone and she assumed the lacerations on his back also disappeared. She needed to conjure every bit of strength reserved in her body to defeat him.

Joker seemed to sense her plotting and he quickly slammed her wrist down on his knee, hearing a crack.

"Gah!" she cried and dropped her sword. Still she was able to wrench her leg underneath his and knocked him to the ground. He fell over, but wound up taking her with him. She landed on top of him but quickly rolled off and she reached for her sword with her good hand. Then she felt a set of vines snake around her feet but she quickly reached down and touched one, making the plant shrivel up, "Forgotten already? It's pointless!" She then threw her blade at him, aiming for his neck but he managed to dodge it.

Joker's hand just barely caught the flying sword by the hilt and he tightly wrapped his fingers around it, "You bitch, I'll get the last laugh this time!" He didn't have a lot of experience with swords, but no matter. Anyone could plunge a sword through a body. He lunged at her, waving the sword high but she retaliated by pulling a long dagger from her belt and catching the blade. There was a loud clang as the metal clashed together and she pushed against him with all her might, but he didn't budge.

"Women...bunch of weaklings," Joker growled. He started to laugh when he saw her face redden with anger.

"This weakling nearly hacked off your joystick!" she shouted. Her back leg was beginning to buckle.

"You had the opportunity again and you passed it up! You could never kill me! You have a strong emotional attachment to me don't you? You can't do it!" he growled, "But I don't hold you in the same regard!" He shoved her hard, causing her to trip over backwards. She landed hard on her back, her side grazing the edge of a rock and scraping her leather suit. The fabric only frayed slightly, having been built for taking damage. She got right back up as Joker closed in on her and she sent her foot flying towards his face. It hit the mark, but his head only turned slightly. His cackles rang throughout the caverns as he laughed at her weakness.

All Seven could do was defend herself. Every strike or item she threw would be thrown back in her face and twice as hard as she could hit. After several minutes of the repetitive fighting, Seven was about to retreat. For the briefest moment she had her back turned and then she felt it...

Her own sword plunged through her thigh and she fell forward in agony. Her scream echoed through the caverns. She dragged herself forward and up against a wall, holding her impaled limb, "Fuck..." she groaned.

"Not on your life, girly," Joker laughed and he slowly made his approach, "I'm gonna slit your throat and watch the blood slowly spill. I'll take delight with every gurgle and sputter you emit..."

She grit her teeth and launched her dagger at him as a last attempt to survive. It just barely passed over his shoulder, slightly scraping his flesh but missing otherwise.

"Losing focus?" he asked cruelly and knelt down in front of her.

Her leg was bleeding profusely around the sword and staining her already black pants an even deeper shade. Then she howled as he ripped the sword from her leg and forcefully should his hand against her chest. Her hands flew up to his arm and she tried to pry it from her body but shortly thereafter she found her sword positioned against her throat.

"Ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Joker asked and he grinned at her.

Confused she looked up at him and now she could feel that horrid blade pressing into her neck and the flesh separating along the metal. Blood trickled slowly from the beginning of the laceration.

He loved seeing the panic in her eyes, "You won't be coming back from this one girly. I'll separate your pretty head from your body and bury it on the other end of the Earth!"

When she thought all was lost, she saw a figure out of the corner of her eye. Then it stepped into the neon lit cavern, "M-master!" she cried as Ghul rushed inside and struck the mad clown across the face. The blade nicked Seven a little bit deeper but missed anything vital. The sword clattered against the rock floor as Joker dropped it. Ghul quickly grabbed onto her hand and pulled her to her feet, he had the look of displeasure.

"Master, the bastard fell into the lazarus pit. It was wasted!" she shouted.

Ghul peered into the pool and then at Joker, "I see. He has increased strength, one of many benefits of the pools."

"My love!" Seven cried when she noticed several wounds lining Ghul's limbs. Two of these said wounds had batarangs protruding from them. She touched one of the weapons and attempted to pull it out, "We have to find another pool!"

"This pool is still active. It will heal our wounds but do nothing to extend our lifespans," Ghul replied and he helped her over to the pool.

Joker regained composure, "You'll pay for that one!" he yelled and was about to retaliate, however he saw the batarangs delving deep into Ghul's arm. Batman truly was here. His big reveal at the theatre was ruined but now was not the time to be captured. Batsy would have to wait...

Ghul assisted Noel to the edge of the pool and set her feet in. Both saw that Joker was now rushing out of the cavern.

"No...No! I have to destroy him!" Noel screamed.

"We have to leave. We can exact revenge on him later. Gotham has already paid for its sin and that was our primary goal tonight."

* * *

Gabe was crying heavily into his pillow. His arm hurt and he didn't like having the tubes sticking out of his arms. He screamed when the doctors and nurses were putting them in. It took three people to hold him down. Afterwards, a nurse brought by something for him to eat, but he wouldn't touch it. His stomach was growling but his thoughts were occupied with his mother's final words. The image of her crushed underneath a chunk of the balcony would forever be burned in his mind. He squeezed his pillow even tighter and peered at the windowsill. It was very dark outside except for the flickering city lights. He had no idea where he was.

The police officers drove him for over an hour to the nearest hospital and it happened to be in the next city. This hospital was very clean and efficient. Gabe's arm was x-rayed and treated, but the hospital administrators were not certain of his family and financial situation so they placed him into observation until his next-of-kin could be reached.

Within thirty minutes of receiving his meal, another nurse dropped by insisting that he have a tetanus shot and the complaining and cries began.

In the admins office, the officials were deciding what to do with Gabriel since they could not reach his primary guardian but they also had their hands full. The hospital was overloaded with newly admitted patients from Gotham; survivors of the gas and detonations. Off-duty staff were called in and volunteers who were trained in first aid administered to the people with minor injuries. They worked tirelessly into the night.

Then finally at four o'clock in the morning an assistant to the officials finally was able to obtain records of Gabriel's family. The Gotham computer systems were not corrupted, but slowed due to the shorting out of the power in the city. The assistant then spoke to her supervisor, "I found the records for the boy."

The supervisor, who went by the name of Christian, leaned over the woman's shoulder and peered at the computer screen.

She continued, "Sir, Gabriel's mother is the actress Sera Johnston and she has already been accounted for. She didn't make it."

Christian sighed, "What about a father or another relative?"

"There is the maternal grandparents but they live in California and are on a no-call list."

"Hm, what's that last line on the bottom?" he asked.

The woman read the last note added to the page, "According to this, Sera married shortly before the opening of her latest show. Nathaniel Douglas, whoever that is. This says he is the biological father and he has not been accounted for just yet."

"Okay, we'll keep the boy here until we have confirmation of the father's whereabouts. If not, then we'll have to contact the grandparents. Is there a phone number?"

* * *

It was a difficult task but Joker was able to find his way through the maze of caverns until he reached the cold outdoors. His skin was covered in goosebumps and he rubbed his arms to try and warm them up. Cautiously he snooped around the cave entrance and saw a landing pad on top of the mountain along with the helicopter which brought him here. There was only one person guarding it and they carried an assault rifle. This would be easy for him and he began sneaking around the rocky terrain until he was behind the helicopter. Then as quietly as he could he crawled underneath the belly of the aircraft and behind the guard. In a flash, he struck the man hard in the back, forcing him to the ground. Joker was on top of him in an instant and he grasped onto the gun. They fought for the weapon for a few minutes, but Joker managed to wrestle it away from him and cocked it.

"Can you fly?" Joker barked, pointing the barrel at the guard.

"Y-yes..." the man stuttered, hands held up. Clearly he was no member of the league of shadows other than their pilot, otherwise Joker would still be fighting.

"Get in the chopper," Joker demanded and signaled with the gun. He watched the guard climb into the vehicle and followed immediately, taking the passenger seat, "Get going." The guard put on his headset and harness before turning the ignition. Joker carefully held onto the weapon as he strapped his harness on.

The chopper took off without a problem.

"Where are we going?" the pilot asked.

"Gotham."

"But the city's in ruins and-"

"I said Gotham!" Joker repeated.

Not another complaint or question was given and the pilot flew towards what was left of the city. Upon arrival, Joker peered out over the metropolis, seeing it up in flames and smoke. Ghul really did a number on Gotham. Joker was seriously pissed off. He was supposed to be the one to send Gotham up in flames!

"Take us down," Joker commanded.

Instead of protesting, the pilot landed the chopper down on top of a building that still stood.

Joker ripped off his harness, "Turn off the engine." Then he proceeded to pointing the rifle at the pilot and shooting him in the head, "Thanks for the lift!" he said cheerfully before departing the aircraft and rushing for the emergency exit. He flew down the stairwell until he reached the ground floor and disappeared out the building. Smoke and gasses filled the air but he was not fazed. He headed in the direction of Sera's apartment needing to know if all of his arsenal was still intact. He only came across a few Gotham city police officers but they were far too busy transporting injured. The assault rifle was out of ammunition and he dumped it in a nearby trashcan.

It took hours of climbing through rubble and scaling over downed buildings, but Joker finally made it to Sera's home. Half of the complex was destroyed, but Sera's place was only partially collapsed. The upper corner by her living room window was caved in. He had to break the kitchen window to get inside. None of the lights worked and the house was very cold. It was surprising to see majority of the home still in tact save for a few paintings and knickknacks that fell to the floor.

Moisture entered the home and he could see the wallpaper was peeling off the hallway walls. The door to the guest room was damp. He pushed it open and saw that his things were mostly intact. The weapons were wet but they could be dried. The ammunition was fine, thankfully. Joker then rummaged through the papers sitting on the weight bench, right where he left them . The page on top was wet but the stack underneath was fine. It was all of his documentation for the marriage. He grabbed all of it and two of his pistols with rounds before jogging to the master bedroom and digging through the closet for fresh clothes. Everything was dry in the closet thankfully. He ripped down a pair of jeans and a black teeshirt. A pair of socks and shoes later, Joker was fully clothed and ready to go back out into the city. He needed to start his search for Seven and Ghul and kill them both.

As he passed into the kitchen he heard a buzzing sound coming from one of the drawers. It sounded like a cell phone. Since when did Sarah have more than one? Well Joker supposed in her line of work she would have a work line and a private one. Curious to know who was calling, Joker wandered to the drawer and tugged it open. He was right, it was another phone and he picked it up. The number on the caller id was not familiar, but still he answered, "Yes?"

_"Am I speaking with Nathaniel Douglas?"_

"This is," Joker replied, wondering how this person knew his fake name.

_"Hello Mr. Douglas, this Doctor Christian Giovanni of St. Augustine General Hospital. I'm calling to notify you that we have your son Gabriel in our children's ward. He's being treated for a fractured arm and smoke inhalation. Are you able to come down and sign a few documents for his release and care?"_

For a moment, Joker had to think about this. Gabriel was in the hospital and Sera was not there to sign for him? Something was off, "Is my wife not there to take care of the paperwork?"

There was a pause on the other end before Christian responded with, _"You don't know yet?"_

"Know what?"

_"Our hospital staff requested Gabriel's records and we tried to locate your wife, but according to police reports, your wife passed away in the disaster." _

It was a shock for Joker. So the opera house did fall and Sera didn't make it out. He had to wonder how his plan was going to work out with this new development. His lack of response was noticed by the doctor.

_"I apologize for your loss and am sorry to be the one to deliver the-"_

"That's all right, just give me directions and I'll come down to the hospital," Joker said quickly, trying to sound distressed and hurt over Sera's death. He wrote down the hospital's directions as the doctor spouted them off. Then he pleasantly said his goodbyes with the good doctor and pocketed the phone. He leaned up against the counter and smirked. Then he burst into full blown laughter, "Oh man! Good thing I married the girl before she bought the farm!" He smiled at the fact that he had complete control over everything in her life now, financially. This also meant that he had sole custody of Gabe, though it wasn't specified on the birth certificate. He knew with the amount of money he obtained, he would be able to request it and change it. Once Gabe was old enough to live on his own, Joker would boot him out the door...after he figured out how to claim Gabe's fortune as well.

Before he would leave to the next city, Joker rushed into the bathroom and found that his makeup and contacts were still on the vanity. He did a fast but effective job of applying it all and hiding most of his clown features. His coming out party would have to be postponed once again, but in the meantime, he could have a bit of fun with his new fortune. He braided his hair and let it hang down his back. There was no time to dye it, but people would believe when he told them he was a performer. On his way outside, he wondered how he was going to get to the other city until he spotted a vehicle in the street. It was moderately damaged on the outside, but what about the inside? The only way to find out was to hot-wire it.

* * *

After hours of driving to the next city, Joker finally arrived at the hospital around three am. The car held up, but getting through the debris in Gotham was a nightmare. He entered the hospital and approached the front desk, appearing to be depressed. Now was the time to put his acting skills to work. The receptionist directed him to the children's ward and gave him the room number. He came upon it and found a nurse inside attending to Gabriel. The child was asleep and she was adjusting his iv. Then she excused herself and disappeared out the door as Joker took a seat. The receptionist notified Dr. Christian and so the clown would just sit and wait. Of course like all busy hospitals, the wait was nearly forty minutes and Joker had fallen asleep until he was gently shaken awake.

"M...what?" Joker said groggily and he began rubbing his eyes. Once he regained his bearings, he saw that a nurse had woken him up.

She gave a funny look as she inspected his appearance, but spoke to him in a calm matter, "Your son will likely sleep throughout most of the day tomorrow. He's on a lot of painkillers which cause drowsiness." She handed him a stack of paperwork, "We usually keep fracture patients overnight but due to overcrowding tonight, we're willing to send Gabe home early. His prescriptions are there and could you please sign the release statements?" She handed him a pen.

"Sure," Joker replied and he began reading through the pile.

"Also sir, the Gotham police recovered the body of your wife. They want to transport it here to our mortician and asking for you to view the body for identification purposes," she said.

In order to avoid an issue, Joker signed away on each paper, including the bill for payment of medical services. He had nothing to worry about.

Gabriel continued to sleep away, well into the hours of the morning. It took a little bit of time for Dr. Christian to release him. Plus it was time to go downstairs and view Sera's body. Joker joined a nurse and the two of them took an elevator to the ground floor. He tried to look as sad as possible, not his style obviously.

The morgue was dim and the sounds of cries and wails filled the air. There were many people down there, most of them family members to the dead. The mortician and many nurses were accompanying these people as they grieved, trying to lend their support. Joker was led to the back of the morgue, where another mortician waited.

"Hello Mr. Douglas. I am Karl Jacob-aster," the mortician said and extended his hand.

Joker hesitated but took it in a firm shake.

"I would like to sincerely apologize for your loss." Karl then maneuvered around a table covered with a white sheet, "Are you prepared for this?" he asked gently.

Joker didn't respond, only nodded and he watched as the sheet was peeled back. Once Sera's face was revealed, he bowed his head and closed his eyes in mock sadness, "How did...she..." he stammered.  
"The firefighters pulled her from beneath a thousand pound piece of concrete. I'm afraid I cannot pull the sheet down past her shoulders. The damage is extensive and very difficult to see, but please know that she didn't feel any pain." Karl was about to pull the sheet back up but Joker stopped him.

"I want to be alone with her for a few minutes," the clown requested.

Both the mortician and nurse nodded and they left him. Joker peered at Sera's lifeless face. Her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted and pale. Her skin darkened around her eyes in a deathly gray. Her hair was lackluster, but that could have been because of the dye. He leaned in until his nose nearly touched hers, "Hello sweetheart, bad day?" His lips brushed against her cold ones and he pressed his mouth down against her, leaving a delicate kiss. Then he started, "I don't think I've ever been married before, but I must say I like the benefits. I'll take good care of your estate...including your son." He chuckled and backed away from the table after gently moving the sheet back up and over her face.

Afterwards, Joker met up with Karl and signed more paperwork before heading back upstairs to claim Gabe. The boy was still out and Joker had to carry him to the car. He placed the kid in the backseat and climbed into the car himself. For a few nights, Joker would put them up in a hotel and deal with Sera's estate and legal obligations before he took off for new turf. Gotham would have to be placed on the back burner for a few years until it was rebuilt. Then he would take his revenge on Seven and Ghul. In the meantime, he would extend his leave of absence from a criminal life in pursuit of another lazarus pit. Having a longer life would guarantee he get all of his objectives completed and the Batman would be an old bag, crippled and feeble. Joker laughed as he drove off. The future was looking brighter...

_To be continued..._


	30. Intermission 2

Your Cell is Ready

Intermission 2

Time Heals Wounds

Gabe was standing at the head of the crowd, tears dripping down his cheeks and sniffling. He wore all black and held his new doll tightly. People were listening to the priest's eulogy and drying their eyes. The crowd mostly contained actors and actresses and crew members of the theatre, or at least what was left of them. The days were difficult for all of them because it seemed everyone was attending funeral after funeral. More than half of the members of the theatre were dead. Trisha and Charlie managed to get out together and did what they could to help rescue others. They were to Gabe's right, both saddened; Charlie holding Trisha as she cried her heart out.

Surprisingly, Sera's parents attended the funeral, even though they had a falling out. They were hurting and occasionally the mother would whisper her regrets for cutting their daughter out of their lives. They did approach Joker before the funeral to attempt talking to him, but he played the part of a frustrated husband and wouldn't speak to them. They wanted to contact their grandson, but he told them to take a hike. After the priest finished, the attending folks all gave their condolences to Gabe and Joker while the casket lowered into the ground.

People placed flowers as the gravestone was erected and the crowd dispersed, leaving Gabe and Joker alone. The little boy didn't make a sound as he approached his mother's grave and read her beautiful name engraved in the marble. His laid his fingers on the top of the stone, "I f-forgot to g-get flowers for you..." he sniffed.

Joker was growing impatient. He hated funerals and listening to people sobbing and saying their goodbyes. It took a great amount of energy to prevent himself from bursting out laughing during the eulogy. Now that everyone had gone he was able to release a few chuckles to himself. He didn't want to upset the kid any further because he would cry again and the noise would be annoying. "Let's go," he said to Gabe.

"I can't, I need flowers," Gabe replied, looking pleadingly at Joker.

"There's plenty there already."

Gabe frowned and trudged over to the clown. Joker led the kid back up the hill and to where their new car waited. The boy made it to the top first and tugged on a door handle of the Ford 150 truck. Joker looked over his shoulder at the gravestone and he quickly wiggled his fingers so Gabe wouldn't notice. Then he pulled out his keys and unlocked the truck, letting the boy inside. They drove away to the hotel they resided in for the last week and a half.  
Gotham cemetery was the only place that was untouched by the disaster. Even the league of shadows didn't desecrate the dead. Scores of people arrived and left to pay respects to their loved ones, leaving cards, stuffed animals, and flowers on the freshly dug graves. None of the flowers were as beautiful as the lovely purple blossom wreath that was now centered underneath Sera's name.

* * *

Fifteen years later...

Joker was feeling excellent, like the day he took a dip in the lazarus pit. Not only that, but his looks didn't change a bit. He was still youthful and spry, unlike other men around fifty. Currently he was down on the floor doing another set of pushups. He bulked up quite a bit since the fall of Gotham. His biceps were a few inches bigger around from lifting heavy weights and pushing boxes. He rolled over and climbed to his feet, intending to get himself ready for tonight's score.

After Sera's funeral, Joker moved to another big city...one without a Batman, New York. It was a breeze robbing convenience stores and banks. He wore a mask and all black these days, but none of the other standard criminals had his flair. His plan was still set when Gotham reopened its city limits. The last decade the government fully intended to rebuild the dead city and this Christmas was going to be its grand opening of the big businesses. That was when he planned to strike. He grabbed his towel and wiped the sweat from his brow and shoulders and headed for a shower.

The placed he'd rented was an old firehouse where he lived under his guise Nathaniel Douglas. He lived normally during the day and worked at night. The large fortune Sera left behind was still in great standing as Joker had told her before she died. He wanted it to last to cover living expenses. Any money he stole was used for fun and purchasing toys and weapons to suit his lifestyle. He kept his basement overflowing with ammunition.

After cleaning up, he relaxed in the shower, letting the water run down his torso and jerked himself off, "What I wouldn't give to fuck a woman right now." He hadn't spent much time around ladies these days. In fact he's been dry for years.

Joker then got out of the shower and dried off. He yanked on a pair of jeans and black shirt and squeezed the excess water from his hair. He took very good care of his locks after meeting Sera, one thing he thanked her for. It was much easier this way and he wore his hair tied back often. Rubber bands no longer busted like they did when he had thick dreads.

As he slid down the fireman's pole to the ground floor, he passed by an oversized sofa with a pair of feet hanging over one of the arms. Joker unlocked a back room and entered. Scattered all over the tables were beakers and assorted test tubes. He was in the middle of developing his signature gas and serums. If he was going to take over Gotham, he would do it his way and not by using plant toxins like Ra's Al Ghul. He would create an advanced version of his gases.

After several hours of working on the serums, Joker stretched his back and got out of his chair. His stomach was growling, "Time for a snack." As he left the back room he caught a whiff of fried eggs. Sounded good enough and he headed straight for the kitchen, where a tall young man was hovering over the stove.

"Throw a couple more on the skillet," Joker said.

The youngster nodded and he took another three eggs out of the carton.

Joker pulled down a spare plate and waited for the eggs to cook, "So, up for run tonight with the old man?" he asked, grinning.

"Sure, could use another stereo in my car."

The clown chuckled and gave a good pat on the back to his son, "Make the old man proud kiddo!"

Gabe smiled and flipped a couple of the eggs. While he stayed with his father for more than a decade, he was dragged on many robberies and other assorted criminal activities. He didn't like doing it at first because his mother always told him stealing was wrong and he had a lot of guilt from her death. However, as the years passed by, the guilt slowly diminished and he was getting used to his father's lifestyle. He protested the first time he was pushed through a small window and Joker threatened him if he didn't unlock the shop's door. After that, stealing got easier and easier. His father began to see potential and started training him in fighting and gun safety, not to mention shooting. Gabe also started lifting weights at sixteen since his body was beginning to get stronger. By twenty, he was pretty buff and eating loads of proteins to keep it up. Now that he was nearing twenty-three, he could down a dozen eggs a day and plow through piles of vegetables. Groceries cost the two of them a fortune per month with the way they ate.

In the looks department, Joker described his son as his identical twin. He had long dark brown hair that touched his mid-back; consistently tied in a low ponytail. He had his father's eyes when he was normal; a vibrant green, and a square jawline and very broad shoulders. Joker stood only two inches taller than Gabe, making it really the only difference in genetics. Sera was tiny, so it was expected.

Gabe scooped three of the eggs onto his father's plate, "Bacon's in the other pan if you want some."

During their lunch they discussed what store they were going to rob and how they would accomplish it.

"Hitting Bloomingdales is awfully risky," Gabe said.

"That's what makes it exciting. It's a high end shop with millions in stocks. According to the paper they are collecting donations for a charity event. They're probably keeping all of it in the offices above the store. Besides, I've always wanted a pair of fancy pants!" Joker laughed.

Gabe smiled, "I suppose a new wardrobe is in order."

"Exactly kiddo!"

* * *

The car was stuffed with all sorts of goods as the two men piled into the front seats and drove off, hearing sirens blaring in the distance. They ripped off their black hoods and threw them behind, both laughing heartily.

"Did you see that security guard's face when I slugged him with the bat?" Joker laughed.

Gabe chuckled as he hit the gas, "He looked pretty startled."

Joker laughed even harder, "Startled? He was in a goddamn coma! Good score tonight son. A nice new wardrobe, a few hundred thousand, oh yeah I had fun..." He relaxed into the seat, leaning back on his arms. It was times like these that Joker was glad he kept the kid around. Heists were more fun when you had a partner and he finally got something he'd always wanted, an apprentice. Sure he tried to get one years ago, but that kid didn't work out. Donny crumbled under pressure and ended up betraying him. Gabe was the opposite, he appeared to take pleasure in robberies. Joker had to twist Gabe's arm a bit in the beginning since he was so stubborn, but the kid got used to it.

At first it looked like they may have had a cop follow them, but it turned out to be a traffic cop and they were busy chasing someone else. They returned to the firehouse without incident. Gabe enjoyed the night's spoils and was busy trying on a few of the very nice dress shirts. He found a pale gray one he liked in particular and slipped it on. "Would look better with a coat," he said.

"Well then, try one of these on," Joker said, tossing a jacket to his son.

Gabe caught the lengthy jacket and slipped it on, admiring it, "Not bad, not bad..." It was a nice black leather trench coat. He tucked his hands into the pockets, getting a feel for it, "I think I have a new favorite."

"How about this?" Joker asked after having put on a full tuxedo, "Haven't worn one of these in years." The material was a durable wool; strong and warm, perfect for winter.

"I give it a ten," Gabe complimented as he adjusted the collar of his coat.

"You look just I did during my heyday," Joker said proudly and he began taking the tux off, "I'll save this for a special occasion."

Gabe slipped the coat down his arms and crashed onto the couch, "Well I'm down for the night." He relaxed into the cushion and closed his eyes, "Night..."

After his son passed out, Joker returned upstairs to continue working for a couple hours. He was only a few days away from a perfect batch of chemicals. It's been so long since he's made any and his excitement grew.

This time, Gotham would be his...

_To be continued..._


	31. Chapter 28

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 28

Back in Action

Gabe was busy working out this morning while his father was passed out all over his work table. It was nearing noon when Gabe finally stopped lifting and started cooking his typical meal of scrambled eggs and orange juice. He figured he'd wake his father and see if he wanted something. In a test of strength, Gabe grabbed the firemen's pole and starting crawling up it rather than take the stairs. He smoothly slid upwards, working his legs and arms fluidly until he reached the top.

Joker was hunched over a stack of newspapers; his breathing very steady and his arms were crossed underneath his chin. When Gabe shook his shoulder, the clown stirred but didn't wake up. So Gabe tried again and this time he was nearly struck by a flying fist. Then he found himself tackled to the floor under a madman, but he was fearless, "Dad..."

The clown was slowly waking up and he peered down at the floor, seeing his son beneath him and his fist held high in the air, "Huh?"

"You attacked me again," Gabe replied calmly.

"Never sneak up on me. I told you a million times! How many more do I need to clarify?"

"Just once more," Gabe joked and he crawled out from under his dad, "Up for scrambled eggs?"

"Nah, I want something else. Turkey sandwich sounds zesty right now and should hold me over for a while. I'm goin' on a run tonight."

"Oh? Something I can benefit fro-"

"Alone I meant," Joker said quickly.

"Oh um, okay. I'll hold down the fort," Gabe said, sounding disappointed and disappeared out of the room. He could smell his eggs beginning to burn a little.

Joker watched as his agile son leapt over the railing and slid down the pole. Chip off the ole block...

That night, Joker was on a hunt for a specific type of shop, one carrying hardware and another with simple household fixtures. He planned homemade pipe bombs and needed to begin work on his gas tanks. It cost a fortune to get these things, so why not steal them? The city was bustling, as it normally was but for some odd reason, the hardware store was full of people. "Ah shit...early holiday shoppers. Extended hours already? We're barely into November!" Did people have no life other than to go shopping? He peeked into the window. There were too many people inside to take hostage and security was upped. There's no way he could do this tonight and so he departed down the street. He casually walked amongst the crowds until he reached a crosswalk. He waited for the light to turn, debating on what shop he should hit instead. On the opposite site of the street he spotted a cafe and decided to dwell on it over a cup of coffee.

A couple of ladies were running the shop, one at the register, one peeking through the back bakery and the other served customers. Joker stepped in line and waited, glancing at the menu and settled on a cherry-cheese danish and the holiday special, a gingerbread latte. The line got shorter and shorter until he finally made it to the front. The server smiled at him, not caring about his unusual green hair and white skin. She's probably seen weirder in New York.

"What can I get for you sir?" the woman asked. Her voice was light and she was soft spoken.

He gave her a once over. She had sandy colored hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. Obviously she went to the booths. He didn't much care for the artificialness and peered at her name tag, 'Tammy'. "Yes, Tammy...a cherry-cheese danish and a gingerbread latte."

"Yes sir," Tammy replied and she started with his drink.

Joker then shuffled over to the register where another employee waited. This woman was probably the oldest in the cafe, around thirty if he had to guess. She had short dark brown hair, just touching the nape of her neck; a classy look. Her lips were stained a rosy color and her makeup was light. She also wore a deep red wrap-around blouse. It was also off-the-shoulder; such a flattering neckline for a woman. She wore a gold necklace with a small diamond dangling from the chain. She had hazel eyes and an overall friendly look. Then Joker briefly glanced downwards and saw her rounded belly. Ah...pregnancy... "Hello madame," Joker greeted.

"Hello," she greeted, "A cheese danish and a latte? That will be eight dollars even."

Joker fished some spare cash out of his pocket and gave it to her. Her soft fingers brushed against his for the briefest moment and he suddenly had a chill run down his spine. It's been a while since he felt anything like that. It was probably because he hadn't been with one in a long time. He accepted his receipt and Tammy brought around his order. He took a seat at a table and watched the television while he ate. Thoughts swirled around in his head as he watched the ladies of the cafe help customers and clean countertops in between serving. It was close to eleven when the final customer left the cafe. Joker stayed put in his chair as he watched Tammy wipe down the tables.  
The pregnant woman behind the register finally approached him, "We will be closing in a few minutes sir, was there anything else you would like before I close down our registers?" she asked gently.

Joker grinned, "Why yes there is..." and he pulled a pistol out from under his jacket and pointed it at her, "I would like for you to gather your little girlfriends and shove along to the back." He read this woman's name tag, "Vivienne eh? French girl, I like..." Joker said and he signaled for her to move.

Vivienne didn't scream, but her eyes were laden with fear. She slowly backed away, her hands now wrapped around her belly, desperate to protect her unborn baby, though she was no match for a gun, "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm saddened chérie, but I'll forgive you," Joker said as he took her unwilling hand and turned her around, "Walk." He pressed the gun into her back and faced Tammy, "You too, lock the door and move to the back of the shop. No funny business or your friend here gets lead inserted into her spine."

Tammy dropped her rag and slowly moved towards the shop door, locking it and stepping ahead of Joker. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she moved towards the kitchen. Vivienne followed close behind, her hands still surrounding her belly. Once the three of them reached the kitchen, Joker forced the two women against a wall and kept his gun handy.

"Where's the other girl?" Joker demanded.

Seconds after he asked, the door to the kitchen's cooler popped open and out stepped a women with super dark hair, but not black and a lovely natural dark tan and deep brown eyes. She was carrying a box of fresh coffee beans. This woman was shocked to see her two co-workers lined up against a wall with some stranger pointing a weapon at them.

"What's going on?" the third employee asked as she dropped the box; beans spilling everywhere.

"Hello," Joker paused and peeked at her name tag which read 'Xochitl', "How the fuck do you pronounce that?" he said, greatly confused but still chuckling.

Xochitl stammered but squeaked, "It's pronounced, So-shee."

"How do you get So-shee out of that?" and he pointed to her tag.

"Ask the Mayans," Xochitl said and swallowed hard. She closed her eyes as she felt the barrel of the gun slowly run down her cheek and she turned her head away.

Joker smiled. He loved it when the ladies feared him, "I've been having a bad night ladies. The stores are flooded with people and I can't get what I want until the shops quit having their crazy extended hours, meaning Sundays. So in the meantime, I've decided to push back my need for hardware in favor of being entertained. So...who wants to entertain me tonight?"

None of the women responded.

"Awe c'mon my pretties. I'm rather easy to amuse, no volunteers?"

Still nothing.

Joker closed his eyes and grinned, "I guess I'll just have to volunteer one of you for the position." He studied each of them, wondering which one would suit his needs tonight. He looked at Tammy first and then Vivienne, followed by Xochitl. Tammy was not really his type and he passed on her. He found Xochitl to be the most attractive since she was so damn exotic looking but decided that Vivienne was the most likely to behave. "You two step aside and into the cooler." He pointed the gun at Xochitl and Tammy.

"No, no!" Tammy begged and tried to cling to Vivienne.

"Now!" Joker demanded harshly and he grabbed Tammy's arm and shoved her forward towards the door. Then he pushed Xochitl as well until both women were inside and he closed the door behind them. He locked it by shoving a metal bar into the handle to prevent it from moving. Next he stepped around the side of the cooler to find the temperature gauge and turned it way down, "It's gonna get really cold in there ladies, hope you bundled up!" he said as he turned back to Vivienne, "Ok chérie, is there an office?"

Vivienne gulped and muttered, "Upstairs."

"Lead the way my dear."

Joker followed her through the kitchen and towards a metal staircase leading to the second floor. She walked up slowly, making sure to keep her balance. He stayed patient with her as she climbed. Once they reached the top of the steps, Vivienne opened the first door they came to. The office was enormous.

"Used to be an apartment?"

"Yes," Vivienne said.

"This place is huge." He eyed the boxes and cabinets, "Also a good storage unit I see." The topmost box on a nearby pile contained cans of olive oil and shortening. He shoved her towards the desk, "Do you know why I picked you?" he asked.  
"Because I'm obviously the weakest."

"That is a contributing factor. So chérie, how far along are you?" He lowered his gun and crossed his arms.

She couldn't hold back her tears as she answered him, "Just a little over eight months."

"Ah, almost to the end of the line. You must be sick of carrying that kid," he commented.

She looked away, "It's been a joy," she mumbled, hoping she might garner some sympathy from him.

"Okay chérie, here's what's gonna happen. You're going to do everything I say without question because one, I'm the guy with the gun, two, you have your kid to worry about, and three, you control your lady friends fate. The temperature in that cooler is going to slowly get lower until it's below freezing in there and they were likely die of hypothermia. Behave and I will let all three of you live. Can you agree to those terms?"

She nodded sadly and shook her head yes.

"Good." He then slipped his jacket off and tossed it onto a desk nearby, followed by the pistol, "Don't get any funny ideas about trying to get the gun. You're not in any condition to take me head on. If you behave, I won't be forced to injure you. Are you gonna be smart for the sake of your kid?"

Again she nodded.

"That's what I like to hear chérie." He then approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her shudder with fear. "I've never been with a pregnant woman before. This will be quite the experience." His hand slid down her skin until it connected with the cashmere blouse. He pushed the material downwards until the very top of her strapless bra peeked out.

Vivienne closed her eyes in embarrassment, wishing that she was home and in her warm and safe bed. She didn't like having his hands roaming all over her chest. At this point, both of his hands were tugging at her blouse, pushing it until it pooled just over her swelling stomach. She attempted to pull his hands away but he caught her wrists.

"Hey, hey, what did we discuss?" he questioned her sternly, "Don't resist me or I'll have to get tough on you." He felt her arms slacken and released them to return his attention to her bra. He reached around her and fumbled with the strong clasps until they separated and he let the material fall away, exposing her.

She sniffed and let more tears fall as he studied her.  
"Dang, those are nice," he commented on her breasts. He handled one of them in his left hand, massaging and gently caressing it.

Her skin chilled under the cool air, making her nipples erect. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed once she felt both of his hands now holding her. Then he gently pushed her backwards until her rear bumped into the desk. He encouraged her to sit down and then stepped away momentarily to get himself a chair. He plopped down in it; his height just barely parallel to her oversized bosoms. His fingers returned to their position on her nipples, squeezing and slightly twisting them.

Vivienne was crying. Her chest was so sensitive that it almost hurt as he did this, "Please stop, it's bothering me..." she begged and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Don't like it? Then we'll just have to figure out something else. Let's try this," he said and leaned in until his lips pressed against the deep color of her right areola and then parted to take the peaked tip into his mouth. He sucked heartily at her breast as his warm hands continued to stroke and massage them. Then he got something he did not expect. A minuscule amount of fluid met with his tongue and he nearly backed off of her until he tasted a sweetness. Then he broke connection with her to see what was up. He continued to massage her like before and then saw what had happened and mentally slapped himself for being so naive. "Ah, appears we sprung a leak," he said as a trace of clear fluid dripped from the tip and onto his finger. "Oh well..." he said and reconnected to her, not really caring if the fluid continued to sneak out. It was harmless anyways and the flavor wasn't half bad.

Vivienne's face flushed. She felt like the dirtiest person on Earth to be letting a stranger do this to her. The only person who should ever be attached to her like this was her baby and they should be the only one to reap the benefits of nursing. Eventually he switched sides to give attention to her other breast and he stopped massaging her in favor of grasping her hands and pressing them against the table, keeping them pinned.

The same thing happened on the other side, she leaked a small amount but he ignored it and cleaned her skin free of the sweet fluid. His tongue swirled around her nipple as he sucked harshly. The sweetness lingered in his mouth, at least until he ended the torment. His eyes lingered on her incredibly large breasts and then slowly made their way down to her belly. He released her hands and slid his fingers up along her protruding torso, lifting the shirt as they moved, "So what are we having?" he asked and peered up at her.

"It's a girl," she whispered. Her body squirmed slightly as his cold fingers touched her.

"Awe, little princess. Have a name for her yet?"

"Sophie," Vivienne replied, still not looking at him.

"Ah chérie, I don't like it when my partner won't look me in the eye," Joker said and he reached up, grabbed her chin and tilted her head down, "You have too pretty a face to be hiding it from me." He let go of her and replaced his hand back on her belly, rubbing her super-soft skin, "The joys of pregnancy; softer skin, nice tits, warmer body- so lovely." He looked her directly in the eye when he said this and smiled when her face reddened.

She cringed when she felt his hands slide over her thighs until they reached the middle of her long skirt. He pushed her knees apart, but she was resisting his advances.

"Just pretend I'm your obstetrician chérie," he said and lifted the cotton material until it was piled on her lap and he grasped her legs and slid her forward slightly.

"Don't...no please!" she begged and grabbed his hand, trying to stop it. Her voice cracked and her eyes were swollen from crying so much.

"Now, now missy, I'll be gentle..." he said, ignoring her pleas and pushing her hand aside. His left hand brushed along her panties and he hooked his fingers around them, gently pulling them, "Lift your rear," he uttered and tapped her on the leg with his other hand.

She did as he asked, terrified he might pull the gun on her. It lay within his reach several feet to her left. All he had to do was lean a little and it'd be in his hand. Her underwear slipped off and down her legs easily and he tossed them aside. It was around now that he felt his jeans growing tight and he suddenly had a desire to take this woman. She was older than the girls he had in the past; a fully mature woman who just so happened to be pregnant. She was what the kiddies would describe today as a 'milf' or something.

That pesky skirt of hers was blocking his view of her, "Undo the clasp," he told her.

Reluctantly she reached behind and fumbled with her skirt, unhooking the metal and allowing him to pull it off her legs. Her panties joined her skirt in a pile on the floor and her entire lower half was exposed. Then Joker placed his hand on her chest and pushed gently, "Lay back, your belly is kind of in the way."

She leaned onto her elbows, trying to get as comfortable as possible, but the hard surface of the desk was not doing her back any favors and he noticed.

"I wouldn't want my lovely lady to be uncomfortable," Joker said and he scooped her up in his arms, "Where's a couch?"

"The back room," she squeaked and her arms clasped around his shoulders when he whisked her away. He carried her to the back of the office and kicked open the only door there. Inside was a very refined setup of furniture.

"Oh, very nice. Love the drapery," Joker praised as he saw the deep green curtains hanging over the windows. "This back room is enormous. Are you sure you don't live up here?"

"I own the cafe."

"Ah, so this must be your apartment. You keep an office near the cafe for your employees, how generous." He carried her across the room and put her down on the couch and crawled on top of her, careful not to squash her, "So, where was I? Oh yes..." he reminded himself and he hunkered down towards her lower belly. His hands grasped at her thighs and he pulled them apart, his head was thrust forward and his tongue jammed into her soft folds.

"Ah! Please no!" she cried out when she felt his slippery tongue sliding around her vagina. Her hands landed on his head and she tried to slide away from him but his grip was like a vice and held her in place. She could feel her folds being sucked between his lips and heard his kisses as they were sloppily made against her swollen clit. She couldn't help the sensations her body was going through. Her pregnancy also worsened the matter. Ever since she began her third trimester, her labia grew even more sensitive than ever.

Joker smiled against her flesh and decided he wanted to cut to the chase. He slipped two fingers into her, feeling around the cushioned walls and decided she was ready enough.

Even though she was desperately tugging on his hair, he pressed on and shooed away her hands. Then he locked onto her legs and dragged her to the floor, forcing her to turn around and face the couch, "Grab a cushion chérie."

She did as he asked and found herself leaning up against the edge of the couch with her head now resting on the pillow. Then she could hear the sound of a zipper being undone and the shuffling of clothing. A hand was pressed against her lower back and then she felt the tip of an unknown object pressing against her folds and it slowly slid into her. She didn't cry out or beg him to stop. There was no point. The sooner this was over with, the sooner she could free her friends from the cooler and call for help.

Her vagina was so soft and swollen on the outside, but it felt entirely different inside, being more rigid and thick. The head of his cock rubbed along the roof of her canal, giving him the ultimate pleasure. His loins were on fire and he increased the pace. Then his hands started roaming around her torso and down the sides of her heavily pregnant belly. As he thrust into her, he could feel something putting pressure against his fingers and her hands were nowhere near his. He stopped pushing into her and relaxed for a moment, keeping his hands still. He felt it again. Her stomach was pushing against his palms. He leaned in towards her ear, "I can feel your baby moving, how sweet..." He pressed his hands into her skin a little, encouraging the little one to keep moving. Then he continued with his pace, increasing it steadily as his orgasm started to build.

Vivienne's pillow was soaked from her tears of humiliation and she didn't like how he appeared to be getting pleasure from her baby's movements. She prayed that little Sophie would stop kicking and hoped this wouldn't cause any harmful repercussions when she was born. Then Vivienne gasped when she felt the bastard's hand wander beneath her belly and press against her clitoris.

"I _will_have you orgasm. I didn't wait over a decade to sleep with a cold fish." Joker pushed even harder against her while his finger rubbed her into a frenzy. Her mouth fell open as she drew closer to climaxing. "C'mon chérie. You know you want to!" he teased and finally she slumped forward, her cries muffled by the pillow. His hand on her abdomen remained stationary and he could feel the unborn child kicking up a storm, "Active little devil isn't she?" he commented and he continued pounding away. Soon enough, he reached the finish line and shot hot semen into her, not worrying about any consequences, "Well, at least you can't get knocked up!" he joked and patted her on the back. Joker pulled out of Vivienne and relaxed on his haunches. His jeans were wrinkled and creased around his upper thighs. He zipped himself up and took in a slow, deep breath. "That felt good. I haven't gotten laid in..." he trailed off.

Vivienne sat down on the floor, shocked over what just happened to her and she sobbed into the pillow.

"Well, I'm good! Time to finish the job and go home!" Joker said happily, climbing to his feet and skipping out of the room towards the stairwell. He found himself in the cafe once again and he raided the cash register after busting open the drawer. Then he figured he could use a snack and stuffed a few baked goods into a bag and fixed himself another cup of coffee before taking off. As he stepped out into the cold air, he heard the cafe's alarm go off and then he hightailed it up the street.

He stuck to the alleyways for cover, munching on a croissant as he moved until he made it back to the firehouse. He kicked open the door and dropped his bags on the kitchen counter. Gabe must have heard him because the kid was sliding down the fireman's pole and jogged to the kitchen to see what his father brought.

"How was the run?" Gabe asked.

"Eh, didn't get what I wanted," Joker said.

"Why?"

"You know they are pushing forward holiday shopping earlier and earlier." Joker tossed the bag of treats to his son, "Dig in, made a pit stop."

"Ooh." Gabe pulled out a chocolate muffin, "Dibs." He took a bite and savored it's chocolatey goodness. He could burn it off later in the weight room, "Took you a long time to get home, what-"

"Hey who's the father here?" Joker questioned.

Gabe's hands shot up in his defense; the muffin hanging from his mouth. Then he continued chewing when his father relaxed.

"Get lost kiddo, I'm tired." Joker shooed Gabe from the kitchen and downed the last of his coffee while withdrawing his pocketful of cash. It was only a few hundred, chump change, but what could he expect from a small privately owned cafe. His mind drifted back to the woman he screwed around with. She was much softer than the other ladies he's ever been with. He'll have to hit up more pregnant women in the future. They were a safe bet as most of them tended to be married and it was impossible to create another mistake. Of course, he wasn't sure if he'd consider Gabe a mistake at this point. The kid was a whole lot more useful than he expected. After Joker lost his associates Punch and Judy to the state penitentiary, having a companion again to laugh with was nice.

_To be continued..._


	32. Chapter 29

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 29

Greetings

Joker was right, the department stores were hounded with holiday shoppers. Gabe spent about twenty minutes of his time squashed up against a wall in Lowe's trying to purchase a simple toolkit. His father got really pissed off with one of the firehouse's old heating pumps while trying to fix the sucker and he threw their current kit out the window. Gabe insisted he take over the job but realized he needed tools. The others were long gone, lost to the frozen snows of New York until they reappeared in the springtime. He would need to fix the pipes immediately otherwise the two of them would freeze and it required a rush job, meaning purchasing rather than waiting and stealing.

Eventually Gabe reached the register where a very exhausted girl waited. She did her best to smile at him and she began scanning the kit while he silently peered over her features. She had an auburn coloration to her hair with some brown lowlights. Her eyes were also dark brown and she wore a very large amount of makeup, definitely not his taste. After handing over a wad of cash, the girl bagged up his purchase and he went on his way. Getting out of the crowds and into the cold air was refreshing. Gabe had to wonder sometimes if people ever stop to think about their personal hygiene before setting foot into a store. Lowe's reeked of humanoids who haven't showered after hours of nonstop bargain hunting. He sighed the moment his rear hit the driver-side seat and started up the engine. He must have been in there for over an hour just waiting in line. The car was freezing and needed a few minutes to heat up. He rubbed his hands together and blew a little warm air on them until the heater kicked in. Then he drove off, going under the speed limit by at least twenty.

Congestion at this hour was a nightmare. People were on their lunch breaks and the streets were flooded with people. "Can't I just get lucky for ten minutes?" Gabe muttered in annoyance. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, hoping for an opening to squeeze by the traffic light. He would run it if he got pissed enough.

Upon his arrival at home, he nearly busted the front door down. His father was reclining on the couch, munching on a bag of popcorn. He was bundled to the teeth in heavy blankets and a big fluffy pair of slippers dangled from his toes.

"What the hell is your problem?" Joker asked as he shoved another handful of caramel corn in his mouth.

"Nothing."

"Whatever..." Joker replied coldly and returned to watching his program.

Without another word, Gabe moved down into the basement and ripped off the cardboard labeling from the kit. He popped it open and began sorting through the wrenches, pulling the sizes he would need. The pipes were cold to the touch he found out when he inspected one. It was actually frozen and would need wrapping.

Three hours had passed and a very exhausted Gabe finally wrapped the last pipe after making several adjustments to the furnace. Then with a flip of the circuit breaker, the heating system roared to a start and then dulled into a low hum. He left the tools where they laid on the floor and padded upstairs, removing his heavy coat and tossing it in a chair. He collapsed onto a recliner next to his father and propped his feet up on the coffee table, not bothering to remove his boots.

He peered over to Joker, finding the clown asleep and probably out of boredom. A nap sounded great.

When he finally awoke late into the evening, he grumbled about not being able to sleep later and pulling another all-nighter. He sat himself upright and nearly stumbled over the coffee table from sleepiness. He rubbed his eyes and found himself to be sweating a bit. Well at least the heater was working now. He slipped off his dark red sweater in favor of wearing around his grey tee shirt. A very uneventful day.

However the following week was not so uneventful. The two of them managed to rob several department stores and made off with several thousands in fun money. Joker had Gabe do most of the work, saying it was to test his skills in lock-picking and security systems. Overall, Gabe had to pat himself on the back. His father certainly did. They worked long into the night, tirelessly hitting shop after shop and in different places all over the city. It was Joker's plan to give the news channels something interesting to report and he didn't mind having a few articles in the paper dedicated to him.

"Ha! They'll be talkin' about these robberies for weeks!" Joker laughed in his seat.

Gabe made a sharp left turn and sped along midtown until they reached their neighborhood. From there, he was able to slow down and take his time to the firehouse. He smiled when his father ripped a nice long gold chain from a duffel bag, "Wonder how many karats this is..." he said while inspected it.

"Didn't see the label?"

"Didn't have time kiddo." He lowered the chain back into the bag and relaxed his head against the rest. He spotted a bakery and suddenly had fond memories of his adventures in the cafe with the french girl. He chuckled.

One of Gabe's eyebrows rose up slightly, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

"Is it really nothing or you just don't wanna tell me?"

Joker groaned but decided to be creative about it, "I scared a girl a little over a week ago when I went out on my run."

"Oh yeah? How was it?"

Joker grinned, "I liked it..." He propped his feet up on the dashboard, "Hmm, now I have a hankering for a cream cheese danish and some of that peppermint mocha latte everyone's raving about on tv. Make a pit stop, we're having breakfast."

"What about all the stuff in the car? The bakery won't be open to the public for another two hours and-"

"Will you stop bitching? That's exactly why I want to hit the bakery at this hour. There's going to be minimal staff prepping the food and it will be fresh and hot. A great opportunity that I won't pass up, now turn the car around."

Gabe rolled his eyes and did a u-turn at the next light. It was still dark outside when he parked the car in the side lot near the bakery. Both he and his father slipped on their black ski masks and approached cautiously. Joker kept a knife handy and he used an old trick of picking the door lock with the tip of the blade. The latch clicked and he gently pushed open the glass so they both could sneak inside. The smell of freshly baked treats wafted through the air.

Gabe took a deep breath, enjoying the sweet scent, "Delicious..." he whispered.

Only one employee was in the store. It was a man likely in his thirties and he was busy lining up two trays to place in the ovens. His back was turned to them and he was mostly obscured by the machinery on the counters.

In a very low tone Joker gave instructions to his son, "Let's see how well you take this guy out. I'll swipe some of the goods and hit the register."

Both of them separated to do their jobs. Gabe snuck around to the back counter, carefully climbing over it and sneaking up behind the employee. He rubbed his knuckles and waited for a split second before tapping the man on the shoulder and balling his hand into a fist.

"What the-" the employee spatted out as he turned to see what startled him. Then a brief look of surprise graced his features before a fist connected with his cheek. The employee grunted as he fell backwards and smacked his head on the edge of the countertop. A tray of cinnamon rolls spilled onto the floor.

Gabe checked the man for any movement; he was still breathing, but it was shallow. Out cold. Feeling accomplished, Gabe joined his father in the front of the restaurant and quickly pulled his mask off. He picked up a freshly made pastry and bit it.

"That was quick," Joker commented and continued helping himself to the register.

"Not gonna be much in there."

The clown slammed the register shut, "I know, that's why we're hitting the safe in the-" A high-pitched alarm rang out, interrupting him. "I thought you took the guy out!"

"I did! Must not have hit him hard enough!" Gabe yelled over the ear-splitting ring. He quickly peeked over the counter and saw that the employee was gone. Yup, the man played 'comatose' and managed to crawl to into back office to call for help.

The next thing Gabe knew, a pistol was being thrust into his hand.

Joker barked new orders, "Get back there and finish the job. No witnesses!" The clown then stuffed a croissant into his mouth and ran for the exit, leaving Gabe alone in the store.

Gabe looked down at the pistol, 'Finish the job!' his father had said. He stepped back around the counter and towards the store's back room while sliding his mask back on. He kicked open the office door and found the terrified employee huddling in the corner of the room holding a cell phone and trying to dial.

Once the employee's eyes fell on the gun in Gabe's hand, he froze and literally started shaking. He dropped the phone, "Please don't kill me!"

The gun was cocked and Gabe lifted it in the air, aiming at the frightened man. Then the employee started begging again.

"Please I have a wife and a child on the way! They need me!"

A typical cliche but it did have its merit. For some reason Gabe found himself lowering the gun. If anything, it should be surprising that he even rose the gun to begin with. He's never killed another human in his life and why would his father have him do this rather do it himself? Was he testing him? Then a memory suddenly appeared in his mind, one of his dying mother. She was so good to him and taught him values. She would be upset and hurt if she were to know what he was doing.

The gun fell to his side and he slowly backed out of the office, leaving the employee alone. Just after exiting, Gabe fired the gun at the ceiling and took off towards the car. Joker was waiting for him and honked when he saw his son burst through the glass door. Gabe piled into the passenger side.

"What the hell took you? Did you finish the job?"

Gabe ripped off his mask and hesitated before saying, "Yeah, guy's a goner."

Joker started cackling as he slammed his foot on the gas and the car took off, going into full speed seconds later. "That's my boy! You've made it to the professional level, an official villain! I'm so proud!"

"Heh, yeah..." Gabe said halfheartedly and grinned sheepishly. Luckily his father didn't notice or necessarily care. After some initial cheering from the mad clown, the remainder of the car ride home was spent in silence.

That evening Gabe relaxed in bed; a book on his belly. He tried to get his mind off the heist today but his thoughts kept returning to the man in the bakery and how he'd nearly shot the poor guy. Joker never really got a clear look at the employee so even if they stopped back in, there shouldn't be an issue. However, if there was a news story on the tube, there would be trouble. Typically Joker read the papers so he could cut out any articles mentioning his activities and collected them in a binder. He started this habit about ten years ago. Gabe rolled over and looked at his clock. Eight twenty-two pm. There was no way he was going to get any sleep tonight so he got up, tossed his book aside and put on a fresh shirt. Before stepping outside his room, his attention fell on the brown sketchpad lying on his desk. It's been a while since he drew anything.

He picked up the pad and fetched a pencil from the tin cup nearby before setting foot out into the hall.

It was freezing outside but Gabe bundled himself up for a walk. The streets were busy; packed with holiday shoppers trying to get their purchases and scrambling to their cars to go home for the night. Everything was open late so Gabe figured he would hit up a nice restaurant and sketch for a little while. Perhaps working on his anatomy skills would be good and there were plenty of people in the nearby Red Lobster. He entered and waited for the hostess to take down his name. The wait was not long for single customers and Gabe was seated within ten minutes. A waitress approached his table. She looked a little tired from a long day's work but introduced herself.

"Hello, my name is Willow and I'll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with a drink and an appetizer?" she asked.  
"A cherry-coke with no ice please and I'll skip the starters," Gabe replied, not really giving her much attention. He was preoccupied with his sketchbook. Even though he hadn't opened it in a long time, he found a couple of old sketches within its pages. He surpassed all of the silly doodles of Iron man he did when he was a child and a few of the human sketches several years later. He became quite good during his teenage years and took a couple art classes while he was in school. It was rough to do art without a live teacher in front of him, but he received decent grades with his home schooling program. A lot of techniques he picked up over the internet. After he finished school, he went on hiatus from drawing in favor of running 'errands' with his father full time.

Willow returned with his soda and placed it on the table. "Have you decided on an entree sir?"

Actually he didn't and he quickly picked up the menu and flipped it open.

"Would you like another minute or two?"

"Oh no, that's okay. I'll just have the...wood grilled lobster, shrimp, and scallops."

"Excellent choice sir, I'll put in the order right away and bring out a basket of biscuits," she replied and picked up his menu.

She promptly returned with the biscuits and set them on the table.

"Thanks," Gabe said and he retrieved a biscuit and bit into. The food at Red Lobster was tasty as hell but so bad for you. However the biscuits were to die for and he ate three of them right away as he started sketching away in his pad of a couple seated opposite of him. They were elderly and moved very slowly so they were perfect for drawing. Twenty minutes and a drink refill later, Gabe's meal finally arrived and Willow wished him good dining. Overall the lobster was very tasty; light with a garlic and buttery flavor. So damn delicious. He did what he could to finish his sketch but the couple had left halfway through his dinner and he flipped open a new page.

No other customer was seated across from him for the remainder of the night so he focused solely on eating. Willow occasionally stopped by to see if he needed anything but he would shake his head no, at least until he finished up. Willow asked if he wanted dessert but he passed and asked for a box which she graciously brought him. She left the check on the table and thanked him for his patronage before leaving with his now empty plate.

She was pretty good overall so Gabe left her a generous tip. The rest of the biscuits in the basket joined his remaining shrimp and scallops in the box and he bagged everything together before getting up and leaving. But he did not realize he left his sketchbook on the table. Just a few feet outside the restaurant Gabe heard someone calling out to him.

"Sir, sir!"  
He turned in his tracks. It was the waitress. "Yes?"

"You forgot this," she said and handed him his sketchbook.

"Oh thank you. I swear I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on," Gabe said.

She chuckled, "No problem. I wouldn't want you to lose something precious."

"I appreciate it."

A quick flash of her smile and Willow returned to the restaurant, leaving Gabe to walk home. He didn't get as much drawing done as he wanted but whatever. He had many more opportunities in the future. Perhaps he should have drawn that waitress. It would have been a good exercise to test his memory. Plus she was easy on the eyes; having a nice facial structure. Actually she had a lot of good features; shoulder-length dark brown hair with some blonde highlights scattered here and there and it was cut into nice layers. Her eyes were grey and she wore soft makeup to accent them. Her build was thick but feminine; very desirable and not like those stick figures he saw on television. She was caucasian but with an olive tone to her skin. She must have been Italian or something similar.

He had no idea why he was lingering on this girl's looks and decided to change his thoughts, until he heard someone scream. It belonged to a woman. If he was with Joker, Gabe surely would have ignored her otherwise risk the wrath of the clown. There was another scream and this time Gabe dropped his bag of leftovers and sketchbook on the sidewalk and ran towards the cries. Around the back of the restaurant, he found Willow being pinned against the dumpster by a man. He was shouting obscenities at her and holding her shoulders tightly while shaking her. Gabe couldn't make out what this guy was saying and his instincts told him to pry the bastard away from her. He rushed in and grabbed the man by the arm and swung a hard right into his face.

The guy was on the ground in a split second from the blow and he slowly crawled to his feet. He staggered a little bit before spinning back around and throwing a punch towards gabe. It missed and he fell over. He was on the ground again and this time did not get back up.

Gabe's attention fell on Willow, "Are you all right?"

She nodded, clearly shaken by the incident.

"What happened? Do you know him?" Gabe pried.

She swallowed hard but answered his questions, "He's my ex-boyfriend, Michael, and he's drunk. I broke up with him over two years ago and he just won't take no for an answer. He follows me to work every week even though I have a restraining order against him."

"You should call the police."

"I will and hopefully they will charge him with harassment and disorderly conduct. But they keep letting him off the hook." She began fixing her hair.

"What were you doing outside?"

"Taking out the garbage."

"Don't busboys do that?" Gabe wondered.

"Not really, all waiters and waitresses share some responsibilities. It just happened to be my turn and I should have asked for an escort. Anyways, my shift's over and I need to get home so I'll be calling the police and just have them give me a lift instead of taking the bus."

Without thinking, Gabe suddenly blurted out, "Would you like me to walk you home?" Then he swore to smack himself later.

"That's a long walk! At least a mile and a half!"

"I'm used to walking distances. I work out quite a bit."

She hesitated for a moment but then smiled, "Okay, but let me call the police to pick this moron up and I need to clock out. Wait here." She then used the back door to return for her purse and make the phone call.

Within the hour the police arrived and picked up the scumbag, Michael. They briefly interviewed Gabe and Willow before they left. It was very uncomfortable for Gabe to be in the policemen's presence for long and he had to watch what he said. Afterwards, he and Willow began their trek to her home. He didn't say very much but listened to her as she talked about Michael some more. Apparently she broke up with him when he started doing drugs and spent more time gambling than working. She threw him out after the first time he attacked her in her apartment. She moved across the city as soon as she received her college degree and took up a waitressing job until she could apply for a career in nursing.

"My mother was a nurse," Gabe finally said.

"Oh really? Where did she work? Are they looking for new employees?"

"She worked at the Gotham City hospital for a while until she took up acting. She told me she loved her nursing job."

"Oh, Gotham. They're still rebuilding everything aren't they?"  
"Yeah, I think so. I have no idea if the hospital is finished yet but I'm sure they'll be needing employees if you can transfer to another city."

"Oh, I don't think that's feasible for me right now," she replied sadly. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face, "You said your mother went into acting? Movies, television?"

"Theatre. She used to take me to the premieres."

"Does she act in New York now?"

Gabe sighed, "She's dead."

"Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up-"

"It's okay. I can barely remember her now," he lied. He clearly remembered his mother's face and how peaceful she looked when she passed away. She said she felt no pain...

"Well, here we are!" Willow said, taking Gabe away from his thoughts to look at her little townhouse, "Would you like to come inside for a few minutes for a cup of cocoa? It's the least I can do after you helped me."

"I shouldn't..."

"Come on, you'll like my hot chocolate."

"I guess one cup won't hurt."

The two of them stepped up the porch and she fiddled around looking for her keys in that oversized purse of hers. She finally pulled them out and unlocked the door. She kicked off her shoes on the floor mat and waited for Gabe to do the same.

"By the way, you never told me your name," Willow mentioned.

"Oh, it's Gabriel." He slipped his boots off and began removing his jacket and placed it over the back of a chair.

"I like that name and it suits you. I guess I really did have a guardian angel looking out for me tonight. Michael looked like he meant business."

She really like to talk and he listened to her chat at him with some mild interest. She was correct when it came to her hot chocolate. It was delicious and he ended up having a second cup.

"You certainly are quiet. I've probably told you my entire life's story and I only know like two facts about you. So what kind of job do you have?"

"I guess I'm used to being on the receiving end of a dominant father's rants and just learned not to argue with him. He likes to be the center of attention. Anyways, my job...well I guess I, uh..."

"Not working right now?" she asked, but not to insult him.

"Sort of. My mother was an actress so she left me an inheritance and I guess I haven't found my passion yet, but I do enjoy sketching. Oh shit! I left my sketchbook on the sidewalk right out front of the restaurant!" He smacked his forehead.

"Wow, you are forgetful huh?" she chuckled.

"Damn...I had a lot of old sketches in that book."

"I can look for it tomorrow when I go to work."

"Don't worry about it. It's probably soaked and damaged beyond repair from the snow. Awe crap, I also left my scraps with it..."

"Your food? I can get you some more. Actually, why don't you join me tomorrow night for dinner, but not at Red Lobster. We can go to a steakhouse or something. It'll be my treat as a thank you for saving my ass tonight."

Gabe peered at her and he was about to decline but then he looked at her grey eyes and saw something in her that reminded him of his mother. Willow was bright and cheerful and had a lot of determination. He knew she would go far in her life and it wouldn't hurt for him to go out on a casual date once in a while to get out of the firehouse. His father probably had other plans anyways. "Okay, dinner is fine, but I'm paying. You already humored me with a cup of cocoa and kindly invited me to your home. I don't want to take advantage."

"Deal. And we can look for your sketchbook on the way if you want. Meet me at Red Lobster at five pm and we'll go from there." She smiled at him.

Gabe smiled back warmly. It was a first date for him and he could actually feel butterflies floating around in his stomach, something he hadn't felt since his first heist with Joker.

After another brief conversation regarding dinner, Gabe departed from Willow's home and walked with a steady pace back to the firehouse. By then it was nearing midnight and he was growing weary. His father was already passed out on the couch so there would be no questioning of Gabe's whereabouts tonight. Gabe planned to keep dinner with Willow a secret knowing his father might react badly to his son having a date and who knows what he would do. For Willow's safety, he would strictly keep their friendship casual.

_To be continued..._


	33. Chapter 30

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 30

So Lovely

Gabe didn't say a thing all morning. He followed his routine and worked out for an hour and spent a good deal of time in the bath relaxing. Joker never suspected a thing and didn't ask his son what he was up to tonight. If anything, the clown had his own plans. By the time Gabe got out of the bath and shaved, it was nearing four pm. He was due at the restaurant very soon to pick up Willow.

He chose a simple outfit consisting of dark navy jeans and a black button down shirt. He wore his steel-toe boots and pulled on the stolen black leather trench-coat from a few days ago. His near dry hair was pulled back in its usual low ponytail and tucked under his coat. Deciding he looked all right, Gabe escaped the house quietly, making sure Joker didn't see which direction he was going. The walk to Red Lobster was relatively fast and he made there a touch early. He waited inside the lobby and sipped on a glass of root beer until Willow appeared.

"Hey," she said happily and waved at him.

"Hi," Gabe replied, not really lifting a hand but he stood up after leaving a couple dollars and a tip. He joined Willow at the front door.

She was busy fixing a few flyaways in her hair. "Ready? There's a place about two blocks up that we can go to. They're pretty good." She led him outside and they began their walk. "It's called Keens Steakhouse. Supposedly they're one of the best restaurants in New York and a little pricey. But I'll help pitch in and-"

"Well I've never been there. I'll take your word for it and I told you I'm paying. I can afford it."

Keens was a very old restaurant established in 1885. For the holidays it was decorated in Christmas lights and a large wreath was hanging down over the entrance. Inside it was dimly lit to set a romantic mood. The walls were covered with historical images and the story of the steakhouse graced the center of them. The seating hostess greeted the two of them and placed them in the back of the restaurant by Gabe's request for privacy. He didn't much care for being out in the open amongst the crowds.

"This is so nice isn't it?" Willow asked as she slipped off her coat and placed it over the back of her chair.

Gabe followed suit. "Yeah, it's not bad. I can get used to it."

She chuckled, "Are you really comfortable with this? You seem tense."

"My father never took me to places like this, so I'm not really used to big crowds. We always had take out, in a manner of speaking." He smoothed out his ponytail after taking his seat.

"You have really nice hair. It's so long," she said.

"Never had the desire to cut it. I guess it doesn't really matter to me."

Their server arrived to take their drink orders and made recommendations. The pair didn't need any additional time to make their selections. Gabe ordered the 'Legendary Mutton chop' and Willow picked the 'Prime Filet Mignon'. They decided to share their side dishes of roasted vegetables and creamed spinach and ordered them on the side. After the waiter disappeared, Willow continued their conversation.

"Can you tell me about your childhood? You said you've never been to any restaurants like this. What kind of places did you go to for food?"

Gabe scratched his chin, "Well, my father carted me around the city a lot. We stayed in hotels for almost a year straight until he rented out an old firehouse. Then he hired a contractor to fix a few minor problems with the plumbing and roof. I was busy with school most of the time." He made sure to leave out a lot of details. Willow didn't need to know who his father was and she might ask to meet him sometime which wasn't a good idea. "What about you? You haven't told me anything else about yourself besides your jobs and schooling. What do you do for fun?"

She thought about it for a minute, "I used to spend a lot of time watching movies with my friends. Typical girl stuff I guess. Went out for pedicures and spent a lot of time at Coney Island as a teenager. I really like attending wine tastings and festivals. Do you like festivals? Grand Central Terminal is one of my favorite places to attend during the holidays. The laser show is amazing!"

"I like festivals. I attended them as a kid with my mother. We went to the farmer's market and I remember entering a few Halloween contests. I never won anything though."

Their food arrived within thirty minutes or so and they were seriously enjoying the dishes. Willow offered a piece of hers and placed it on his plate. He did the same and they both tried each others.

"I can see why they call that 'legendary'. Wow..." she moaned; the culinary masterpiece a pleasure to her tastebuds.

Gabe tried her filet mignon and appreciated its tender flavor and texture. Then he smiled his satisfaction as he swallowed it.

"Hey you smiled again. You only did that once last night," Willow said as she nibbled on steamed broccoli.

"Hm?"

"Your smile...it's nice. You should do it more often."

"Well I do smile a bit more with people I know."

"You know me now, heh!"

Gabe's smile widened a bit more out of nervousness and a little embarrassment. "I suppose that's true too.

Dinner was fabulous and at this point they had finished their meals and were talking about everything anything from the weather to holiday shoppers to the next great movie coming out. Gabriel cleaned his plate while Willow only made it through a little more than half of hers. She was leaning back in her booth and sighing contently. When their server asked them about dessert, they passed on it in favor of coffee and the final bill. Willow protested to help pay, but Gabe refused to let her see it and gave in to letting her leave a tip. Then they departed and made the trek back down the city streets, window shopping as they traveled. Kids were swarming one of the toy stores and hogging up space in the window.

Willow peeked through the crowd of kids and she giggled when she saw the new pony toys, "I used to have some of those. They look so weird these days with the huge eyes and crazy bright colors." Then she saw some of the boys talking about the x-men toys a few feet away, "Did you have any of those?"

"I was more of an Avenger kid. I had an attachment to Iron Man."

The pair continued along the street, enjoying the lights streaming around the lampposts.

Joker never heard his son leave the house and when he eventually went looking for him, he was surprised to find the firehouse empty. "Where is that kid?" He barely saw his son today and was going to drag him out on a final run for cables. The last month was spent building detonators and tanks for holding thousands of gallons of serum. He ended up going by himself and was now working on wiring his remote control which would send a signal to his tanks. However the tanks would only be a distraction for his plot...

It was close to ten at night when Joker heard the back door close and he stopped tinkering with the remote. He emerged from his room and intended to drill Gabe.

Gabe barely set foot onto the kitchen linoleum when his father came bearing down on him. He was halfway through taking his coat off.

"Where've you been? I had a run tonight and could've used an additional hand in carrying those cables. The steel ones are insanely heavy."

"Sorry. I was out looking for a sketchbook I dropped."

"You spent that many hours looking for a book?"

Gabe could tell his father wasn't buying it. But he was telling the truth, sort of. He and Willow did spend a time looking for the book, but never found it. Of course...they didn't try very hard and maybe only a few minutes of their time.

Irritation was setting into Joker's features and the clown crossed his arms, "Wanna tell me where you really went?"

Then Gabe suddenly felt his own anger rise at his father's invasion of his personal space and blurted out, "No." Next thing he knew, a hand was at his throat and pushing him up against a wall.

"No?" Joker questioned.

The pressure of Joker's fingers against his jugular and airway caused Gabe to gasp and grunt but he couldn't get the words out.

"Do I need to break your arm again?"

Gabe flinched at the thought. A memory from his early teen years flashed before his eyes. He'd only gotten mouthy with his father on one occasion and he paid dearly. The busted arm he'd received for telling his father to 'fuck off' was enough to get him to obey Joker's every word and without question. Since then, Gabe learned to be docile and passive.

When a hand was placed over his forearm, Gabe groaned and squeezed his eyes shut; waiting for the horrid pain to come.

"Don't lie to me..." Joker growled and he started squeezing and twisting his son's arm. "Where were you?" he repeated.

Not able to tolerate the twisting much longer and too nervous to pry Joker's hand off his throat or arm Gabe nodded, signaling that he was ready to speak. Joker released his grip on his son's neck, but not his arm and waited.

"Okay...I w-was at dinner." Gabe rubbed the soreness on his neck and tried to take back his other hand but Joker wouldn't let go.

"With whom, may I ask?"

The sarcastic nature of Joker's voice was frightening to most people but Gabe was used to it.

"A friend."

"You don't have any friends. This is someone you just met isn't it? Is it a lady?"

Gabe's silence reassured the clown and Joker became even angrier. In an attempt to smooth things over, "It wasn't a date, just a-"

But Joker's booming voice drowned out any excuse Gabe could think of. "Women are the root of all problems! Trust me kid. I have too much experience with them. They are only good for one thing and one thing only! Fucking! Just take what you need from her and dump her fast!" Joker let go of Gabe's arm and stomped out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned Gabriel behind. He then ripped open the hall closet door and tore down a long leather jacket and slipped it on along with a pair of snow boots. He pushed past Gabe and exited the firehouse. Joker took a set of keys from his pocket and piled into the car, not caring if it was heated up. The car engine roared to a start and he backed out of the driveway and sped off into the night.

Gabe swallowed as he peered out the kitchen window watching his father drive off. The clown was seriously pissed off but Gabe wasn't sure if it was because of Willow or that he wasn't available to do a heist. Or maybe both? Who knew? Joker has left like this before and usually returned home the following morning in better spirits.

Joker drove around the city, not going anywhere in particular. His temper flared and the best way to calm down was to either do another job or have a 'private party' with a lady, so to speak. There were times he wished he ditched the kid years ago like originally planned but he was just too useful. If Gabe started bringing home girls, it would complicate things. Even worse, the kid might get attached to one.

He occasionally glanced at the people on the streets, particularly at the women. He loved, yet hated them. When he pulled into an older part of Manhattan, Joker parked the car close to an apartment complex and walked from there, blending in with the crowds even though he lacked makeup. The people around him never gave him a second glance and probably assumed he had some sort of weird disease. After a while, his hands were getting a bit cold and the boots he wore were slowly getting soaked. They used to be waterproof but the years of wear and tear took its toll. It was several blocks back to the car and by then his feet would be freezing, so it was time to take a break from his walk and just go into the nearest building so his boots would get a chance to dry. Luckily there was an apartment complex with a lobby and he pushed open the glass doors. It was toasty warm inside.

The security guard inside didn't give Joker a second thought and assumed he was a tenant. The clown casually passed by the desk and straight into the elevator. He pressed a random number and allowed the lift to take him up.

Upon reaching his floor, he stepped out and passed a couple waiting to go down. There were quite a few residents passing in the halls and Joker scanned around at the people until his eyes settled on a blonde girl moving away from him. She appeared to be carrying a load of books and a very large knapsack. It was then he realized that everyone here was carrying books. "Ah, a college dorm. No wonder this place is so busy. Must be having a party." Joker grinned and began following the blonde girl. She appeared to be overwhelmed with the stack of literature in her arms and so he closed in on her.

"Need a hand miss?" Joker asked when he caught up with her.

She wasn't able to see over the huge stack and her face was obscured a bit. "Oh thank you! I was beginning to wonder how I would get my keys out," she replied gratefully. She then allowed the stranger to take the entire stack of books from her while she began digging through her knapsack.

Luckily Joker's face was hidden behind the books and the moment the door to her room opened, she allowed him entry and she followed him inside. She didn't lock the door, half expecting the stranger to leave the second she took the stack from him. Half of the books were now on her desk and she was reaching to take the rest when she finally caught a glimpse of the man's face in the darkened room. When she didn't recognize it, she tried not to panic. "Well I thank you for your help but I have to study for final exams. Let me show you to the door," she said politely and passed the unusual looking man. Before she could lay a finger on the doorknob, something snaked around her ankle and speedily ran up around her waist. Another unknown object tightened around her wrist and yanked it away from the door. Then her entire body was lifted in the air and she started to scream.

Quickly, Joker locked the door and carried her across the room, his vines slowly wrapping themselves around all of her limbs and then one cut off her airway when it encircled her throat, halting her cries. Since the room was so small as a typical dorm was, he brought her over towards the bed and placed her down while keeping her tied up. It was more of a futon really but who cared? The girl was struggling and gasping for breath when he placed her down and crawled over her. Joker could see her tears leaking over her cheeks but he felt no remorse.

"Awe little one, don't be sad. Mr. J will make it all better." He then wiped away a few of her tears and leaned in until his lips barely touched hers. "Wanna play with me little one?"

She shook her head profusely.

"I won't bite...but I do love exchanging saliva." His lips then crashed down onto hers; his tongue sliding into her mouth. Before he could really get into the kiss, he felt a set of teeth clamp down on him and he pulled away fast. "Feisty!" he laughed through the bitter pain in his mouth. "But I have something for you to keep you relaxed..."

Joker breathed heavily in her face, blowing dark green spores all over her. There was no way she'd be able to avoid a full blast. Plus he crashed his mouth back onto hers to ensure more were ingested. Then he waited a few seconds and saw her pupils dilate and her irises grew cloudy. Then her entire body went limp. He crossed his arms as he sat back up. "How old are you little one?"

Almost robotically she responded, "Eighteen."

"Oh a recently legalized adult. Now I don't feel quite as guilty. For a moment there I thought you were younger. Are you a freshman then?"

"Yes."

At this point it was safe to release her limbs and the vines fell away and shriveled up. She did not move, but appeared to be waiting for instructions. He looked over her appearance. Up close her hair looked more like strawberry-blonde and she had brown eyes. His eyes lingered down to her chest. She wasn't very big in the bosom, but it didn't matter. The red blouse she wore was easy to rip apart and he was surprised to see she wore a plain old spandex sports bra.

"Not very flattering little one. I prefer a nice lace or satin piece but I assume that your age has something to do with it unless...do you work out?"

"Yes."

"Weights?"

"Zumba."

"Oh right. You kids and your weird dance classes." He then grabbed onto the shoulder straps of the bra and pulled it down until her breasts were exposed. Even without the bra, she was still pretty small.

Tears flowed heavily down her cheeks and her face flushed.

"That's okay deary. Mr. J doesn't have much of a size preference." He then touched her youthful flesh and squeezed the small mound that was her left breast. "They all feel the same. Why don't you sit up?" He then moved to her side to give her space on the futon.

As she did so, his hand never left her chest and he even brought his lips down on her shoulder, kissing and nibbling at her collarbone while his hand massaged and squeezed the soft mound. Between nibbles he asked her for her name.

"Hannah Gunther."

After another set of kisses he smiled against her skin and adjusted his position until he was behind her and pulled her body into his chest while wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Ever get laid before Hannah?"

When she didn't respond right away, he figured she'd need another dose of spores to help make up her mind. It seemed as though his green spores were not as powerful as the pink ones. They only lasted maybe ten minutes at best and kept victims under total control while pink usually lasted for an hour or more. The victim tended to be coherent while under influence of those. He breathed deeply and sent another cloud of green around them. She breathed steadily and returned to her previous state. "Like I was saying little one, ever get laid?"

"No."

"Oh-ho! A newbie...I haven't had one of those in years," he said excitedly. He pushed a strand of her shoulder-length hair behind her ear and he whispered, "I'm surprised a lovely lady like yourself didn't get any in high school. Most kids lose their virginity by tenth grade. What happened deary? No boyfriends? No prom date?"

"I was busy."

"With what?"

"Volunteer work. My part time job. School."

Joker chuckled, "Ah I see. You were all about academics...a nerd, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, very disheartened.  
Joker then grasped the girl around the waist and turned her back around before pulling on her legs and forcing her to lay on her back. He gripped the top of her yoga pants and tugged them off. Her panties were black and stretchy, obviously meant for working out in. When Joker yanked them off, he smiled when he noticed they were a thong. He tossed those aside and nearly leapt for joy when he saw her lovely pink folds which were free of any hair. "Going for the smooth look. How nice..."

Hannah sniffled as she felt his his hand sliding down her belly and touching the very top of her labia. She sucked in a breath when his finger pressed gently against her clitoris and began a slow rhythmic pace; circling the tiny organ and causing a fire to stir in her belly. With his other hand, his started to remove his jacket and kicked off his boots, not caring if they ended up getting the futon slightly wet.

The jacket hit the floor with a soft thud and he began working on his shirt; unbuttoning the collar and slowly working his way down with one hand while the other continuously teased her. Once the shirt was gone he brought his face down to her lower belly and planted a row of kisses along her skin until he traveled closer to her center. His finger left her now swollen clit and moved down to her folds. He parted them and pressed his pinky inside, causing her to squirm slightly. She was starting to regain some control but it was fine for now. Hearing her mewls and groans encouraged him to press on. When his entire digit disappeared into her body, he moved it along her soft interior, enjoying the heat and moisture which began to build. He didn't move his pinky too much to avoid ripping that very precious flap that signified her childhood.

It was getting harder and harder to resist and Joker's pants were getting ridiculously tight. He didn't want to stop tormenting her so he figured he would allow her some action. "Unzip me and take off my jeans."

She did as she was told and grasped the button of his pants, undoing it. Then with his assistance, she pulled them down his legs. His boxers wound up coming down with them and out sprang his massive erection. Her mind was screaming for her to get away but her body wasn't listening. Her panic worsened when the madman took one of her hands and placed it on his thick cock and guided it up and down along the shaft.

"How about trying something new little one? I want your mouth around me now." Joker then reached his hand to her neck and pulled her forward until her mouth connected with the head of his penis, "Open wide sweetheart!"

She couldn't protest as his head entered her mouth and she closed her lips around his girth. She began to slide her tongue along the hardened length and could hear his satisfied groan. Her head was now bobbing and this got him excited.

After a minute or two, she felt her legs being forced apart and his finger removed itself before she felt a boiling hot and slippery wet muscle slide along her slit. Her paced slowed as the new experience overwhelmed her and she released his length to cry out.

She was distracted too much by his ministrations and he cut short his oral teasing. He sat up quickly and pushed her down against the mattress before steadying himself on one hand. She had near complete control of her senses and body again and was able to cry out.

"Stop it!" she begged and pressed her hands to his chest to keep distance between them.

Joker then shoved his knee between her thighs to force them apart and laid himself against her. He had no plans to give her another dose of spores, at least for the moment. He wanted her coherent and able to feel everything he was about to do to her. The more she fought with him, the hornier he became.

"Get off me!" she cried and she began clawing at his shoulders, hoping he would back off.

It had the opposite affect on him, "Little one, you aren't helping the situation. In fact your fighting me is a serious turn on!" He then grabbed hold of one of her wrists and pushed it up into the futon while his other hand wandered down to his length and lined it up with her entrance. The tip of his head rested against her wet folds.

"No! Please don't!" Hannah screamed and tried to rip her hand away from his. She managed to grab a handful of his hair with her other hand and tried to pull it. It had no affect.

"Quiet!" Joker growled, but it didn't stop her from crying. Having had enough of her screams, Joker's other hand left his groin and flew up to capture her other wrist. He held them both tightly. "I've heard enough, little one," he said and rolled his eyes. "Maybe this will shut you up!" He then thrust forward, breaking and stealing away her childhood. Her scream was long and drawn out but her body grew rigid as the powerful surge of pain rushed through her groin. Her cries died down after a few moments and she choked back her sobs.

Joker's fingers intertwined with hers as he started pulling out of her and slid back in. She didn't fight him anymore which made his job easier. Now that she was calmer, he was able to reconnect his lips with hers and he slowly released small amounts of pink spores to keep her intoxicated. She would be able to move, but in a sluggish manner. Her muscles were weakened and her mind was foggy. At this point she didn't realize she was even sleeping with a stranger. Hannah groaned and began whispering something about a favorite actor or whatnot. Her tears dried up and Joker was starting to treat her a little more delicately.

He sat back, bringing her with him; his arms tightly around her waist and her hands slipped around his neck of their own accord it seemed. Her body bounced up and down in his lap. He was drawing extremely close to releasing and decided that he would finish without her. She would never know that she even had an orgasm if he tried to push her over the edge now. He had another idea that would make this experience seem surreal to her. Just before he shot he captured her lips once more and breathed heavily, sending something entirely new into her body. He spent months trying to develop his spores and decided now was the time for a test. A dark cloud of purple spores shot into her mouth and down her throat, causing her to pass out. Just as he finished drugging her, he felt his orgasm erupt and he shot his load into her womb. If there were any consequences, she wouldn't remember who he was nor come after him for any reason. She would believe this experience to be a dream...

After finishing, he carefully laid her across her bed and pulled up a blanket. Then he gathered his clothes and got dressed before leaving her dorm. The other students were still having their parties and there was far too much shouting in the halls. It would be impossible for anyone to identify him or any noises that came from Hannah's room. Just the way he preferred it...

_To be continued..._


	34. Chapter 31

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 31

Attached

Gabe kept his distance. His father was not in the best of moods. It had been nearly two weeks since the small episode in the kitchen and there hasn't been any conflicts recently. Gabe did, however, go against his father's wishes and continued to spend time with Willow. He snuck out during the mornings to meet with her for brunch nearly everyday while his father slept. He was enjoying his conversations with her and the two of them were really hitting it off. They even attended that holiday laser show at Grand Central Terminal. It was the most fun Gabe had in years.

Right now, Gabe was reclining in his chair and sending a text message to Willow. They were scheduling another lunch and she insisted that he choose the restaurant. He felt that Italian fare would be acceptable and picked a small cafe in downtown Manhattan. They would meet around eleven and spend a few hours together before her shift started.

Willow texted back to confirm the meeting. "Don't get caught!" she wrote.

It would be a no brainer. Tonight Gabe planned to assist his father with repairing some electrical wiring of a project in the attic. Joker was planning something for December but he never spilled the beans to his son. Gabe could only imagine what was going to happen and would he be involved himself? To be honest, he didn't want to get involved, especially if someone were to get hurt. Still, he had several weeks before the planned heist was to be executed. Maybe he could make up some sort of excuse?

"He wouldn't fall for it," Gabe muttered to himself. He finished sending another message and could hear his father coming. He quickly pocketed his phone and leaned his head back.

Joker entered the living room and shook his son roughly, believing the kid to actually be asleep. "Move it," Joker demanded and turned back around to head upstairs again.

Gabe silently followed, but cracked a grin when he thought of tomorrow and his date.

* * *

It was a lengthy job, but the two of them completed it by one o'clock in the morning and both had showered and went to bed. Gabe passed out immediately and woke up highly refreshed. His father would likely sleep in as usual.

As planned he took a cab and met Willow at the cafe where they shared a delicious pasta lunch and walked along the streets of Manhattan. They made a pit stop inside a beautifully decorated Christmas shop; one of those seasonal stores.

"Oh look Gabe! It's a turtle dove ornament and it comes with two birds!" Willow said with excitement. She picked the set of doves off the tree and looked at the tag, "I love these!"

Gabe looked at the small birds in her hand and escorted her over to the cashier. He plucked them from her hand and placed them on the counter while the gentleman at the register cashed them out. Then Gabe handed the bagged ornament to Willow.

"Oh Gabe, thank you!" she said and hugged him.

It was the first time they ever shared a hug and to be frank, they fit together rather nicely he thought. Gabe tilted his head so his cheek rested on her forehead and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't help but smile. They stayed that way for a minute but separated before they left the shop, save for one of Gabe's arms. He left it over her shoulder and they continued to stroll that way. Willow didn't appear to mind the romantic gesture and she even placed her arm around his waist and leaned into him as they walked.

It was nearing two pm and Willow's shift started at three.

"I have to get to work soon."

"Let me flag down a cab and I'll have you dropped off," Gabe offered.

"Okay. Sure beats taking the bus," she replied.

Within seconds, Gabe had a cab waiting at the curb and the two of them climbed inside.

"To the Red Lobster on east forty-ninth and olive," Willow instructed the driver. Then the cab drove off. It felt as though they were going at top speed. The cabbie must have sped through several yellow lights and ran up over a curb. Typical crazy driver but he did manage to get them to their destination thirty minutes later.

Gabe handed over a wad of cash and they both exited the cab before it sped off again.

"Wow, I never took a cab before. They really are crazy," Willow said and began fixing her hair into a ponytail for work. "Anyways, thank you for lunch. It was delicious. And the ornament...oh! I remember now..." she trailed off before digging through the small gift bag. She pulled out the ornament, "Turtle doves are special. Did you know that?"

Gabe cocked his head in curiosity, "Why's that?"  
"They're a symbol of devotion. My mother said that she and my father released two turtle doves during their wedding reception. It was my grandmother's idea. She's a very traditional woman and even purchased the birds." Willow then separated the two birds and took Gabe's hand. She placed one of the birds on his palm, "That one is yours."

"Won't they miss each other?"

"Not if you and I spend a lot of time together."

A hint of pink spread across Gabe's cheeks but he replied with, "I can do that. Tomorrow, same time. We'll hit a movie. How's that sound?"

"Okay. I have tomorrow off so we can spend more time together. What movie?"

"Um...well I guess we'll pick one when we get there. I'll pick you up at ten so we can catch the early showings."

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Willow said and she smiled softly before hugging him again.

The pair broke apart and Willow disappeared into the restaurant while Gabe began the walk home. Joker would probably be awake and he would have to give some sort of excuse for being out all early afternoon.

Gabe peeked inside the kitchen from the doorway. No sign of Joker yet. He kicked off his wet boots and left them on the doormat to dry. He yanked off his leather jacket and hung it on a hook in the hall closet. He socks were a little damp and they were the next to be removed before padding up the stairs. It was unusual for all the lights to be off at this hour and Gabe suddenly had a really bad feeling. He neared his room and reached for the doorknob, but moments later he found himself being torn away from the door and slammed up against a wall, the scary face of an angry clown staring him down. Next thing he knew the throbbing pain of a fist crashing against the side of his head brought him to his knees.

Gabe groaned and reached up to rub his aching temple.

"You went out with that girl again didn't you? I told you to ditch her!" Joker shouted and he watched his son grimace at his words.

Something was wrong. Joker wouldn't have struck him this hard over a date, "Why do I get the feeling, you're pissed about something else?" Gabe uttered.

Joker growled and he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a rolled up newspaper and dropped it on the floor in front of his son. "Page three."

Gabe retrieved it and unfolded the paper to three and saw the article.

_Employee of small bakery survives robbery by simply asking to be spared for the sake of wife and child. The employee (who we will not name for his safety) says that two men broke into the cafe during the early hours of a weekday and held him hostage. Both men were masked and were armed. They cleaned out the registers and stole a few goods. According to the employee, one of the men held him up in the back office and was about to shoot him until he mentioned his family. The shooter appeared to have a moment of remorse and lowered his gun. Then the robber took off into the cafe, whilst shooting a hole in the ceiling and disappearing with his counterpart. The employee was given two weeks paid time off to seek counseling and speak with the police. New security measures will be taken to ensure the safety of other employees. The owner of the store apologized to the employee for the ordeal and promised that it would never happen to anyone else._

'I believe the robber's heart was not truly in the heist' the employee said.

Gabe lowered the paper and glanced up at his father, who looked even angrier.

"So he's a goner eh?" Joker questioned, "What the fuck were you thinking? Do you have any idea that this could potentially get us both caught?"

"We were masked! There's no way the guy could identify us!" Gabe shouted, but immediately regretted the action when his father picked him up by the shirt and lifted him high until his toes barely touched the floor.

"You weakling! I thought you may have some potential to follow in my footsteps but now I'm beginning to question my decision as to keeping you around. You've been sneaking out every day to see this girlfriend of yours. You lied to me which is a mistake in and of itself and you don't even have the balls to pull a trigger!" Joker's fist then slammed into Gabe's gut, knocking the wind out of him. "You bastard. You're almost as weak as your mother!"

That got Gabe's attention and he suddenly had the urge to fight back, but another fist connected with his cheek and he found himself on the floor again. Then Joker grumbled something incoherent and strode away. Gabe remained on the floor for a few minutes, rubbing the seriously sore spots on his face. This was going to be an ugly bruise.

* * *

The following day had come and Gabe seriously considered calling Willow and canceling the date but he didn't want to disappoint her. In an attempt to hide his horrendous bruises, he let his hair hang loosely around his shoulders, partially obscuring his temple and he put on a brown leather cowboy hat. A pair of sunglasses followed and he was out the door, regardless of the consequences he would face upon returning. He called ahead for a cab and it was waiting outside. Gabe knew his father was watching him from the topmost window of the firehouse but found it strange that the clown didn't attempt to stop him.

From inside the house, Joker scowled as he watched his son climb into the cab and he angrily closed the curtains. He crossed his arms. His son was slowly getting more and more difficult to control. Something needed to be done before the last few threads were severed. There was only one solution that he could think of. Make Gabe forget about that girl and anything in his past. A whole new life was the answer and it was time to begin planning...

Gabe remained silent during the trip over to Willow's house. He knew she would see the horrid bruises lining the side of his face and a slew of excuses were running through his head that he could attempt to use. The question was, would she accept any of them? When the cab arrived, he paid the driver and got out. He slowly walked up to the steps and ascended them carefully as they were covered in ice. He didn't even have to knock. Willow must have been waiting for him to arrive because she enthusiastically opened the door and invited him inside to warm up for a few minutes before they left for the theater.

"Come in, come in! Oh nice glasses and your hat. Going cowboy?"

"I guess so," he replied. He stood on the mat and didn't take any of his accessories off.

"I checked for show times and the film I'd like to see doesn't start for a another hour so we can hang out here for a little bit."

He was afraid she would say something like that. He had hoped they would leave immediately, giving him reason to keep his hat and glasses on.

"Here, I'll take your jacket," she offered and reached out for it.

"Um, would you like to maybe go for a walk?"

"Mm, not right now. It's supposed to be extra chili today so I thought we'd cozy up in front of the fireplace and I can make my special hot chocolate." She kept her hand out, waiting for him to hand her his coat.

"I'm a little cold, I'll just keep my coat on."

"C'mon, it's toasty warm in here. You've got to be roasting." She then reached up towards his sunglasses but her hand was caught by his. He'd stopped her. "Gabe, is something wrong?"

"No, it's just...I'm-"

The expression on her face...it was concern for him. There was no way he could pass off any excuse at this point. Her eyes were practically begging him to her the truth. Not since his late mother did anyone ever show him so much emotion just by sheer glance. Then he released her hand and it traveled up to his face. Her fingers hooked around his sunglasses and she slowly slid them off, revealing the ugly black bruise along his brow.

"Oh my god Gabe, what happened to you?" she asked, her voice a faint whisper.

"It's a long story..."

"One I'm ready to listen to..." she said and she took off his hat.

Gabe finally removed his jacket and gave it to her to hang. Afterwards, she escorted Gabe to her living room which was lit only by the fireplace. Its lovely flames filled the room with a distinct orange glow. He sat down on her couch while she retrieved some mugs and teabags from her kitchen. She filled a kettle with tap water and pitched it over the flames to heat up. Then she took a seat next to Gabe and waited for him to start.

He sighed and began his story. "I had just turned seven and my mother was at the beginning of an excellent career in theatre..."

The story started out happy but as Gabe spoke about his father's first appearance in his mother's home, he grew saddened. Willow gasped many times when he explained his hospital stay for severe asthma and the other time when he found blood all over the bathroom floor. He couldn't explain why it was there. His mother never told him. Then Gabe moved into the opening night of his mother's first starring role and how the gas billowed through the theatre; how the building crumbled and collapsed overhead. Then he described in great detail his mother's death and how traumatized it left him. At this point, tears were trickling down Willow's cheeks but she urged him to continue. He described her funeral and how his father began dragging him all over the east coast until they settled in New York City. The next part of the story described his father's activities in bank robbing and lack of empathy for other people. Willow almost started to look fearful.

"My father would drag me on heists with him and literally twisted my arm to get me to do his bidding. The bruises you see on me now are nothing compared to what I've gotten in the past. I remember my father taking me on a very important heist once. It had to do with retrieving a chemical compound. I don't know exactly what it was for but he mentioned something 'big' in the future. When I refused to slip through a small window of the chemical plant, he grabbed me and wrenched my arm. I knew it was bad when I heard something crack. He snapped my forearm and refused to take me to a hospital until the job was done. I had no choice. I was only thirteen and learned very quickly not to talk back or retaliate in any way, shape, or form. That was the worst punishment I ever received but on other occasions, I've been beaten. He promised to make my life hell if I mentioned anything about how my arm was busted to the hospital staff. I claimed to have fallen off a quad when riding it. It was a terrible lie, but the staff believed it. My arm was set and I was put on bed rest. Afterwards, I never gave my father a reason to injure me like that again...until now."

"Now?" Willow repeated.

"My father knows about you and he doesn't like that I'm seeing you. His opinion of women is...well it's..."

"I understand." Her voice was full of sadness.

"Willow, I don't want you to get hurt. It's probably better if I stopped seeing you and-"

"Who is your father Gabe?" she inquired. Her eyes never left his and she suddenly wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

His cheek rested against her collar bone and he snaked his arms around her waist. "My father...he is..."

"Tell me." She said softly.

"The Joker."

Willow's eyes widened, "The Joker? You mean the villain of legend? He terrorized Gotham. My father told me about him when I was a little girl. Shouldn't he be a retired criminal locked away?"

"That's also another story I don't know entirely. He came into contact with someone named Ra's Al Ghul. There was a struggle and my father had fallen into something called a lazarus pit. The aging process has been slowed so my dad can physically be classified as someone in his mid thirties while biologically he is around fifty I think." Gabe attempted to slip from her embrace but she held him tightly. "I know it's difficult, but I truly don't see how this relationship will work out. I'd understand if you wouldn't want to be around me."

Willow blinked and swallowed. It was terrifying that the clown prince of crime was Gabe's father, but she realized that nothing frightened her more than losing her new friend. "I don't want to leave you Gabe. After you told me your story, how could I?" She loosened her grip on his shoulders and allowed him to turn his head so she could peer into his eyes. She continued, "You've been alone long enough." Her face slowly crept closer to his, "You lost the most important person in your life and I know it will be difficult to fill the emptiness in your heart, but I'd like to try..." Then Willow's lips connected with his in a passionate kiss. He didn't resist her and found that his mouth was matching her every move and he found for the first time in a long time that he was able to love again. A solitary tear slid down his face.

* * *

Hours had passed since Gabe told Willow his story. They passionately kissed and both had fallen asleep on the couch. Their movie time came and went but it was okay. They could go another time. They just wanted to enjoy each others company. Upon waking, Gabe found Willow lying on top of him, her head against his chest and a blanket pulled up over both of them. He didn't want to wake her but the clock on the wall read six pm. He'd been over there for nearly eight hours. The last thing he wanted to do was to go home.

He felt her stirring a bit and then her eyes blinked open and she stretched a little. "What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Six."

"Awe, we missed our movie. Oh well." She slowly sat up and started to fix her hair.

Then Gabe pulled himself upright and climbed to his feet, "I have to go. I'm already in enough trouble as it is."

"Don't go back there. What if Joker hurts you again?"

"If I don't go back, he will come after me...and you. I can't risk that." He picked up the mug lying on the coffee table and took a sip of the now cold drink.

"I don't want him to cause you anymore pain! If you leave him now, you can go into hiding. Find a place of your own. I'd go with you!"

"He has resources. He will eventually find me and who knows what he'd do. Anyways, I can't ask you to leave your life behind. You have parents and a job, plus your career in nursing." He walked into the kitchen to deposit his mug into the sink and collect his coat. She followed him to the front door where he began lacing up his snow boots.

"If you insist on going back..." she began but never finished the sentence. "When can I see you again?"

"I'll text you." He placed his hat on and tried to give her a smile, but it did nothing to reassure her.

She looked worried and started running her fingers through his hair. He took her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on the back of it before planting another on her soft lips. She didn't want the kiss to end and tried to beg him to stay shortly afterwards, but he promised he would return soon and exited the house. He didn't need his glasses anymore, as it was nightfall. Once the firehouse came into view, he was slowly starting to lose his nerve but pushed himself forward. His feet were heavy and dread was weighing in on his shoulders as he unlocked the front door. All the lights in the house were off, further worrying him. He quietly removed his boots and jacket and left them in the kitchen. The sooner he got upstairs, the better he would feel. The stairs were a bit rickety and creaked with every footstep it seemed. Once he reached the top, he felt home free and entered his bedroom. He flopped onto his bed and turned on the small lamp on the nightstand, intending to read some more of his book. Getting his mind off the situation in favor of going on an adventure with Captain Nemo was ideal. He opened the book where he left his bookmark and started reading. A few seconds into the paragraph Gabe heard a chuckle. He dropped his book on the floor and started climbing out of his bed, but a hand shot out of the darkness and pushed him down against his mattress. Then an immense weight fell upon him and the tight grip of the Joker's hand flew up to his neck, keeping Gabe from shouting.

"Hello sonny-boy. Back from a fun-filled afternoon with your little girlfriend?" Joker leaned in to hear Gabe's gasps and gurgles from being choked. "Where did I fail as a parent? Like I said before, you had so much potential but you wrecked yourself by growing a conscience. Well it looks like I'll just have to start from scratch with you."

"Mmph!" Gabe barely groaned and his hands flew up to Joker's arm and he attempted to pry the clown off.

Joker's hand was partially off Gabe's neck and the youngster blurted out, "I'm never gonna be like you! I don't want to hurt people anymore!"

Joker's eyes widened and his smile turned into a snarl, "Tisk, tisk...that's so depressing my boy. Well then, you've just made this easier." Then Joker reclaimed his grip on Gabe's throat using both hands and readjusting his knees against his son's chest t make it harder for him to breathe. He leaned in towards Gabe and began emitting his darkest purple spores and refused to stop until they worked their magic.

Gabe panicked. Spores and his immune system didn't go together very well. He hasn't had a flare up in years but he occasionally needed to use his medicine when the weeds and flowers bloomed in the summer. Joker's spores could potentially put him in a coma. He started kicking his feet and pushing back; anything to get his father off and retrieve his albuterol from the desk. These spores were different than the ones that put him in the hospital as a child. His lungs were suffering and his airway was beginning to swell up.

Joker stopped blowing the spores in his son's face when he felt Gabe's arms go limp. The boy hadn't lost consciousness yet, but would be there shortly. He also didn't want Gabe to die so Joker had to work quickly while the kid was still somewhat conscious. Joker climbed off his son and dug through the kid's desk, finding the inhaler and quickly bringing it to Gabe's mouth.

"C'mon kiddo, just like when your mother did it. One, two, three..." He pressed down on the canister, spraying medicine into him. "Again; one, two, three..." And a second puff was given. Gabe's breathing steadied but his body was still, unable to move from paralysis and eventually he passed out.

Joker smiled. It worked. He managed to knock his son out without beating him over the head with a crowbar or cutting off his airway. Judging by the amount of spores he inhaled, the kid would be out for a few days. It was more than enough time to get the job done. The clown then gathered up his son, wrapped a heavy blanket around him and carried him downstairs. He placed his son next to the back door before grabbing his jacket and boots and car keys. Afterwards, he once again tossed Gabe over his shoulder and carried him outside and to the car. He dumped the kid in the back seat and climbed into the driver's side. The car revved to a start and he drove off. The trip would be long but he was certain it would be worth it.

_To be continued..._


	35. Chapter 32

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 32

Nowhere to Turn

The radio was blaring and Joker was driving along the interstate, singing to some death metal. He rather enjoyed the genre as it appeared to describe him relatively well. Every hour or so he would glance into the backseat to make sure Gabe was still alive. His breathing remained steady and that was good enough for Joker. It was near daylight when they crossed the border out of Pennsylvania. It was another two-hundred or so miles to their destination. After driving for so long, Joker made a pit stop for something to eat and ordered something to go in addition to filling up the tank. Then he was on his way again.

The hours flew by and finally at long last: the ruins of Gotham city. The corporate offices were mostly rebuilt and a brand new town hall was erected. However the neighborhoods where the general population lived were still barren. At least the city council was intelligent enough to clean up all of the mess to allow for civilians to rebuild. Hotels have been placed near the brand new buildings to give employees a place to stay while they began to work again. Joker drove through the streets until he reached a more familiar neck of the neighborhood. It looked like the factories were fully functional and he pulled up along side one. Since there weren't any abandoned factories available for temporary housing, Joker decided he would steal an employee r.v. While the workers were indoors, Joker busted the window of a nearby trailer and reached inside the door to unlock it. Then he hot-wired the vehicle before returning to his car to drag Gabe out.

He stuffed his son into the back of the trailer and tied up his hands and feet using fishing line. It appeared as though the owner of this trailer was a deep sea hobbyist. The fishing line was very tight and cut into Gabe's wrists. Blood trickled down his fingertips, but he remained out cold. Joker was able to hook his car up to the back of the r.v. using the cables in the back and he drove the vehicle off. Now that he had something to stay in, he decided to put his new plan into action. With an oversized grin, Joker drove the trailer across the thick forest of industrial corporations until he found one that brought back many memories.

"Ah...here we are. And look! It's all brand new and functioning!" Joker said excitedly as he parked the trailer. With a sadistic laugh he climbed out of the vehicle, dragging Gabe out behind him. Then he lifted the kid up and back over his shoulder and headed towards the factory. It was after closing hours so Joker had to use an old technique of shoving his foot through a glass door. No alarm went surprisingly. Since there were so few citizens in Gotham, there probably was no point in having a security system at this time. A map on a nearby wall showed him his location and where to go from there. He stumbled in the dark until he reached an elevator. While waiting to ascend upstairs, Gabe stirred a little bit and groaned.

"Ah you're awake! Welcome back to the land of the living my boy." Joker laughed and entered the elevator once the doors opened.

"W-what? Where...?" Gabe mumbled.

"It doesn't matter where we are, only that you are here and daddy is going to make it all better."

Gabe shook his head, "Huh?" He tried to move his arms both found that they were tightly tied together behind his back. The same with his legs and feet. "Put m-me down..."

"I'd prefer that you were alive my boy."

His father was making jokes, not a good sign. What sinister plot did the lunatic have up his sleeve?

"Whew! Smell that?" Joker asked.

Gabe sniffed the air and the stench nearly churned his stomach. Sulfur. "Ugh..."

"Don't have a reaction now kiddo. I left your meds in the trailer."

Trying to understand what was going on, Gabe looked around but all he could see was the lengthy hall after Joker stepped out of the elevator and his long hair dangling in his face. He tried to struggle but Joker held his legs tightly.

"Cut it out," Joker barked. "We're nearly there."

"Nearly where?" Gabe asked. His question was answered the moment his father kicked open a lab door and they were both greeted with a bright neon green light.

Joker grinned and peered at the enormous containers waiting before him, "Brings back memories." He then carried Gabe inside and found a metal stairwell leading up to a platform lined with guard rails. "The old recipe still reigns!" Joker said when he caught a glance of the chemical components written on the side of a tank. When he was hovering just above a vat he let Gabe down to his feet and propped him against the rail, "I've never told you how I got my handsome looks did I?"

"I have a sneaky suspicion the tank below us has something to do with it."

"Absolutely correct my boy! It was somewhat of an accident, at least that's what my records showed in Arkham Asylum. I still think I was pushed, but who's complaining now? I like my lovely complexion. Anyways kiddo, I've decided that I just don't like your attitude lately and it 'pains' me to have to do this."

"Then don't!" Gabe shouted.

Joker's hand clasped his son's chin and he yanked him forward until they were face to face. There was no smile gracing Joker's lips. "You force me to do this."

"If you're planning to drown me, get it over with!" Gabe shouted with a surprising confidence. He expected his father to wring his neck, but instead he heard the clown burst out laughing.

"Dense tonight? So unusual for you. I'll assume it's the spores talking. I'm not going to drown you kiddo..."

Gabe waited for his father to finish the sentence, but found himself being grasped by the neck and lifted off his feet.

"I'm gonna restart your life!" Joker screeched and he cackled.

Before Gabe could protest, Joker tossed him over the side of the railing and he was free-falling towards the sickening chemicals. Something struck Gabe in the head and knocked him near unconscious once again. He felt himself splash into the tank and slowly began sinking. His skin was on fire and his clothes were dissolving along with the fishing line. He never felt anything like this before and he screamed into the liquid. A great deal of chemical traveled down his throat, causing a major burning sensation and he could no longer scream. His eyes squeezed themselves shut trying to stop the pain.

Above on the platform, Joker was enjoying the show. His son had sunk into the liquid and now there were some bubbles floating upwards and popping once they reached the surface. He casually strolled over to a control panel back on the ground and he twisted a release lever, causing the chemicals to drain out. Then he skipped merrily back up the stairs and watched the chemical quickly disappear down the drain until Gabe's body finally appeared, unmoving and covered with a film of green slime. Joker leapt over the railing and grasped the nearby ladder leading into the tank. He cautiously approached his son and knelt down next to him to check for breathing. He pressed a hand to his son's chest and felt nothing at first, but moments later Gabe started coughing profusely and spitting out green sludge. Then the poor kid retched and spilled his guts out all over the floor.

"I remember doing that," Joker said, amused.

Then poor Gabe turned onto his side and stopped moving again. At this point his father took off his jacket and placed it over his son's body before gathering him up and carrying him to the side of the tank.

"Gotta wake up kid, I can't climb out of the tank with you unconscious."

A very groggy and ill Gabe did what he could to assist Joker in climbing out. It took the better part of an hour but they made it up. Then Gabe collapsed on the platform and peered up at Joker, "Who the hell are you?"

That was strange, Joker didn't remember being completely clueless after his own chemical bath. This must have been a side affect or maybe it had something to do with him hitting his head on the way down. He watched as his son tilted over into a heap on the floor. "Oh well..."

The trek to the outside was long and difficult with a half-conscious being slowing you down. Once he had Gabe in the trailer, he pushed the kid inside the shower stall and turned on the cold water. Green sludge began rinsing away but his son's consciousness wasn't returning. He decided to leave the kid there to rinse while he drove the trailer to a more secure location.

Joker drove several miles away from the factory and decided to stop for another meal. He would have to go to the next town since restaurants in Gotham have not reopened.

In the shower stall, Gabe slowly came to and he was at a loss as to where he was. His head was spinning and he threw up once again. The cold water running down his skin washed away all traces of the chemical waste and any vomit that he yacked up. He leaned against the wall, not wanting to move anymore. At some point he felt the trailer come to a stop and he just remained in the stall, nearly falling asleep gain. It seemed like only a few seconds went by when he heard a set of giggles and something touched him. He blinked several times before looking up and seeing a blurry figure standing before him. The moment Gabe laid his eyes on the figure, they backed off and squealed.

Joker had returned with a bag full of food and a large drink. His son would need to hydrate himself before he became sicker. And trying to get some food in his system would replenish some lost minerals. He was about to check Gabe's vitals again when his son peered up at his, looking him directly in the eye. "Holy fuck..." Joker cried when he saw his son's face. "You look like a fucking demon!"

"Huh?" was Gabe's only reply.

"Never mind. Think you can keep down some food, kid?"

"Um..."

Joker knelt down and pulled a sandwich out of the bag and held it to the kid's mouth. Gabe opened up slightly and bit down, tasting a little bit of roast beef and italian bread. He swallowed the food but refused another bite when offered. However Joker wouldn't let him avoid drinking some water. When Gabe fell asleep again Joker removed him from the shower and laid him on the bed in the back of the trailer, dressed him, and returned to the driver's seat. With a look of triumph, Joker sped off towards the interstate in the direction of New York. He needed to nurse his son back to health and see what kind of affect the chemicals would have on his mental stability. One could only hope that Gabe would be a bit unhinged.

* * *

"Ugh..."

His stomach lurched and he rolled off the mattress to scramble for a garbage can. Poor Gabe retched several times, but nothing came up. His stomach was empty from lack of food for the past two days. After a few minutes, he stopped and hovered over the can to be sure he was through. Then he realized that he was no longer in the trailer. He couldn't see very well and crawled back over to the mattress. From what he could tell, he was inside of a bedroom and carefully pulled himself up into a standing position. He was thirsty and light-headed.

Over the next thirty minutes, Gabe continuously rubbed his sore eyes trying to regain his lost vision. It appeared to be helping but the soft flesh felt very raw and burned when he touched it. When he was able to see his hands a bit more clearly, Gabe glanced around the room. It seemed so familiar to him but he didn't know why. The desk to his right had a small lamp and what looked like an inhaler resting upon it. He picked up the small red tube and canister and read the label.

_Gabriel Johnston  
ProAir HFA  
Albuterol sulfate Inhalation Aerosol_

He dropped the canister back on the desk and saw another item nearby; a cellphone. He picked up the phone and realized it was dead. It needed to charge. He figured the cord on the side of the desk was the charger and plugged it into the phone. Then the screen lit up and the AT&T symbol popped up on the screen. As soon as the phonebook was loaded, a series of text messages appeared. He pressed his finger on the screen and opened the first message. It was from someone called Willow.

_"When do you want to meet for our next date?"_the message said.

He scrolled to the next few messages and they all ranged from _"Are you in trouble again?"_ and _"Where are you?"_

Who was this person? Gabe put the cellphone down again and slowly made his way to the door. He pushed it open and stumbled down the hallway until he reached the staircase. Descending was hard and he almost fell but caught the railing.

It was a bitch, but he eventually made it down into the kitchen and leaned against the sink having suddenly felt nauseous once again. He closed his eyes and turned on the faucet to splash some water in his face. The cool water felt really good and the trace amount that trickled into his mouth was swallowed without any bad repercussions. He sighed and turned the water off. A jacket on the countertop caught his attention and he picked it up. Who's was it? Not really caring if he was invading someone's privacy he picked up the coat and rifled through the pockets. He felt something jagged in one of the pockets and grasped it, withdrawing the item.

He looked at it curiously. "A bird?" It was a small ceramic bird painted white and gray. It's wings were partially spread open. It looked as though it once had a partner because the head was twisted in such a way where another bird would be cuddling with it. He placed the bird back into the pocket and dug through the others. A wallet came out of the interior pocket and he opened it, finding a driver's license. There was a picture of a young man with long brown hair and green eyes. His skin was lightly tanned from lots of time in the sun. He read the name Gabriel Johnston and the birth date below it.

"This is-"

Before the thought could pass through his head, he was interrupted by another person in the room.

"That is you, or should I say, was you."

Gabe turned his head and saw that strange looking man standing in the kitchen doorway. "You again. What's going on? Where am I? Did something happen to me?"

"You can say that," Joker replied. He then approached his son to get a good look at him. "You still look sick."

"I feel like shit. By the way, who are you again and why do you look like a clown?"

Joker would have been insulted if this were anyone else but he humored the kid, "People refer to me as Nathaniel Douglas, but you have always referred to me as dad. My lovely looks are the result of an accident."

"Dad? Well...okay. Why can't I seem to remember anything that happened before two hours ago?"

"A side effect of your little accident. It happened to me too. I barely remember my life before my little swim in the tub. All of my life's story in kept locked away in a file at Arkham Asylum. But you needn't worry about that." Joker slipped his arm around Gabe's shoulder and escorted him to the living room, "We have a lot to discuss."

Two hours passed by and Joker answered every one of Gabe's questions but made sure to leave out some dire information that Gabe would have known before his change. Anything pertaining to Sera and Gabe's little girlfriend was purposely changed or cut from the story. So his son would be under the impression that he was the result of a fling with an old girlfriend who ditched Joker, saddling him with a son.

"I'm sorry, I'm still really foggy," Gabe admitted.

"I wouldn't dwell on it son. Some memories are best forgotten. At least you know your name and where you live. That's important."

"What did I do before my accident? Did I have a job?"

Joker grinned, "You are pretty handy with tools and a gifted electrician. You were building tanks alongside me in the basement and wiring in the attic."

"Large tanks? How are we getting the money for all this work?"

"Ah, that is where things get interesting. Gabe my boy, your day job is a handyman. Your night job is a criminal."

"Pardon?"

"No joke kiddo. You and I have been on many heists together and enjoyed every second of it."

"I did?"

"Of course. We've had great times together!" Joker gave a hearty laugh, but frowned the second he saw that Gabe was not sharing in the happiness. "What's the matter?"

"Does that mean you're a criminal too? Who are you really? You don't seem to carry the name 'Nathaniel' very well."

"My professional name is Joker. If you must know a dire piece of my history, then my original name was Jack Napier. But that name no longer has any ties to me. You will refer to me as Joker or dad while everyone else uses Nathaniel. Now then, on to more important matters. Why don't we take a glance in a mirror."

"What for?"

"Well you do want to see yourself don't you?"

"What are you talking about? I look like this don't I?" Gabe held up the driver's license.

There was no response other than a big grin and Joker stood up from his recliner. He headed towards the bathroom with Gabe in tow and switched on the light. "Have a look." Joker gestured to the mirror and stepped aside so Gabe could see his reflection.

What Gabe saw in the mirror shocked him. Staring back was a deathly white skinned human with long black hair and eyes to match. No longer did the brown haired, green eyed young man in the driver's license exist. Gabe's mouth fell open and he wasn't sure if he wanted to scream or throttle someone. He touched his face, not wanting to believe it. Then he studied his eyes again. They were eery looking especially with the red rims surrounding them, much like Joker's black ones, however the only real difference is that the red appeared to be trickling down his cheeks, resembling bleeding eyes. "I look like...like"

"A demon. Kiddo, you're scarier looking than I am. If your new face doesn't freak out the public, then I have no idea what would. Having no whites in your eyes or irises is pretty insane." Joker laughed and patted his son on the shoulder, "You've got to be hungry. C'mon, we're going for a late night run." Then Joker's nose suddenly scrunched up, "After you've had a bath of course."

* * *

An enormous bag of wrappers lay on the floor next to Gabe's bed and he was finally feeling like himself again, at least in terms of physicality. He used to turn his nose up at certain fast food chains but Joker insisted getting something in his stomach. The initial bite was rough but he forced it down and then when he realized he felt better after eating, he wolfed down two more burgers and a large cup of green tea. He skipped the french fries which his father took. Everything stayed down. Gabe looked at the clock; one a.m. There was no way he was going to sleep after having been passed out for nearly forty-eight hours.

Gabe reached for the cellphone on his desk. It was now fully charged and it appeared there was a new message. He pressed on the touch screen and opened the text. It was from Willow again. Who was this girl?

_"Gabe? Are you still alive? I'm starting to worry. Call me when you can okay?"_

Whoever she was, she was certainly persistent. Maybe he should call her. This girl might have answers to his questions that Joker couldn't provide. As he contemplated sending back a message, Gabe had a flash of memories quickly rush through his head; something about that bird in his jacket pocket. He blinked and touched his temple. "What the hell was that?" He peered down at his phone again; the message still staring back at him and dropped it back on the desk. He'll think about it. Right now there was too much going on and he really wanted to try and settle in with his new body before dragging anyone else into his problems. Still it was nice having someone worry for him. Minutes later, he couldn't ignore the messages any longer and he took the phone once again and responded to Willow's message.

_"I'm fine. Just going through some rough patches. Don't worry."_ He pressed send and tossed the phone aside. The chances of an immediate response was slim at this hour but he would probably see something in the morning.

* * *

Willow heard her phone buzz in the middle of the night but was too far out of it to check who was calling. She ignored it and went back to sleep. The next morning she'd climbed out of bed, showered, and dressed before remembering the message. She practically squashed her phone while checking her inbox.

_"I'm fine. Just going through some rough patches. Don't worry."_She repeated the words and did not believe it in the least bit. After Gabe's story she thought something horrible was keeping her friend from seeing her. She didn't have his address so she had to figure out a way to get him to come to her without his father knowing and she started a new text.

_"I want to see you very badly. Can we please talk somewhere in private without your father finding out? I don't want him to hurt you again." _

Minutes later she was surprised with a quick response.

_"What do you mean 'hurt me again'? I need to be honest, who are you?"_

Willow gasped; clapping her hand over her mouth and suddenly felt a world of hurt. He'd forgotten her? Or was this some sick joke? She dropped her phone on the floor and began to cry.

_To be continued..._


	36. Chapter 33

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 33

Welcome to the City

November came and went. The civilians of New York were excited, as they always were during the Christmas holiday. Streets were flooded with people carrying packages and dragging their traumatized children from Santa's workshops. It was only a few short weeks until Christmas and the big opening of Gotham would take place on Christmas eve; meaning Joker needed to transport all of his hard work to the city. He'd already called ahead and rented out a truck, one from a large moving company. Therefore the transport wouldn't be suspicious. There was also one other thing he wanted to do. Since the tanks were so heavy and he and Gabe lacked the muscle to lift them, he would be needing the help of thugs...and two came to mind. It's been years since Joker had their help and as long as they were able to escape prison, he would utilize them. Contacting Punch and Judy would be a breeze...

After Gabriel's recovery, Joker reintroduced him to robberies, starting small of course so his son would get used to it. But as they progressed, Gabe claimed to have some memories of doing it before and it turned out that he was as good as he used to be. Picking locks, breaking combinations, etc. He did it all and appeared to be enjoying it even more.

Tonight they were finishing up a robbery in the local Lowe's for the heavy duty hinges they would need for locking the tanks in place. Joker was busy doing something in the back room while Gabe waited outside with the car. Hinges lay all over the back seat and loaded up the trunk, clanging together when he backed up the car.

"What the hell is he doing?" Gabe asked himself and settled into the driver's seat with his head leaning against the window. Twenty minutes went by and finally his father appeared out the back and jogged to the passenger door. He filed in. "What took so long?"

Joker smiled, "The store manager was being a bitch so I taught her a lesson."

"Oh...um. What'd ya do?"

"Let's just say I enjoyed it better than she did."

Gabe blinked and shook his head, "I don't think I want to know."

"No, you don't. Now drive."

"Right..." Gabe replied with a chuckle and slammed on the gas. They both took off for home where they were going to make their final adjustments to the tanks and get ready to transport them to Gotham.

The entire ride home, Gabe's mind reverted back to the text messages on his phone. He'd responded to the mystery girl Willow but never heard back after he asked who she was. Perhaps he could send another message? She seemed mighty persistent before and to be honest, he was curious about her. Something was nagging at him all throughout tonight's heist. Occasionally he saw flashes of some brunette girl and others of an older woman wearing a lovely white dress and long curly brown hair. Who was the second woman?

It was several hours later before Gabe asked Joker about the images he was having which the clown promptly told him to ignore them and they would go away. But it wasn't the case. The images would appear whenever Gabe was overworked or feeling stressed or tired. It was even worse in his dreams...

* * *

Willow had been so saddened by Gabe's sudden rejection that she decided that she would finally pursue her dream career. She knew about Gotham's reopening and the hospital would be one of many buildings in need of immediate staffing so she applied online for a nurse's assistant position. She had been called to an interview in the city two days from now and she figured that she would take advantage of her paid vacation time and spend two weeks in Gotham for the holidays. There was sure to be plenty of events to occupy her saddened mood.

Currently she was rummaging through her closet for the perfect interview outfit and pulled out a long black dress with a thick belt to wrap around her waist and a pair of one inch heeled shoes to match. She packed the dress in plastic and into a coat bag before stuffing her small suitcase with casual clothes to last the trip. She would be traveling to Gotham by train and staying in a small hotel just in the outskirts of the city. Flying terrified her and she didn't own a car, plus train rides were very scenic. The landscape would be beautiful to look at and her camera would get great shots of the mountains to place in her photo albums.

Having everything ready for her trip, she felt that she should get herself to the train station a little early.

It was crowded and the second she set foot out of her cab, she was bombarded with people scrambling to get into the station. At the same time it was exciting because there was so much joy around her. The holidays were so close and people had their arms filled with packages and luggage.

Boarding her train was easy and her seat was near the rear of the train where it was peaceful and no screaming children ran up and down the aisles. She would be traveling all night and should arrive in Gotham's new station by eight a.m. She was so relaxed listening to the humming of the train's wheels on the tracks that she finally feel asleep around ten. Her purse was tucked between her hip and the armrest; eventually causing her enough discomfort to shift. But she wound up waking herself and looked at her cell phone. It was two in the morning, meaning the train still had hours of travel ahead of it. She tried to go back to sleep but it wouldn't do any good. She was wide awake. Perhaps a coffee from the cafe car was in order.

The peppermint mocha latte was delicious. Since it was a seasonal drink, she figured she'd splurge and enjoy the drink while she searched the internet on her phone. The signal was bad, so her phone reception was slower than hell. She sighed and gave up within minutes and just resorted to rereading her text messages. Gabriel's last message was still present on her phone and she had no plans to respond to it...nor remove for some odd reason. It seemed all she could do the rest of the trip was stare at that last text and wonder what went wrong.

Willow found herself hunched over in her seat when the train finally halted at the Gotham city train station. Everyone around her was gathering up their belongings and waiting to exit. The freezing cold bit at Willow's nose the moment she stepped onto the platform. She dragged her luggage behind her and walked into the toasty warm corridors of the station and flagged down a cab. The new city was impressive; so clean and modern compared to its old self.

Her hotel room was even nicer and she obtained it for such a generous price. It was probably because the city was trying to attract visitors to get the market jump started. Well, it certainly worked because the hotel was packed. There was a large banner draped across the lobby balcony welcoming guests and inviting them to the Lighting of the Gotham Tree ceremony. This was where the city would officially open its doors to the world. Willow planned to attend as it took place just a few days after her interview.

"Ah...finally a warm bed," Willow said as she flopped onto the brand new bed. The comforter was so soft and she could literally feel the crispness of the sheets beneath it. Never been slept in. She curled her arms around the pillow and allowed her mind to wander to the evening Gabe stayed for several hours in her home and how they passed out on her couch. She imagined the pillow was him; his warm body next to hers. His strong arms holding her...

She sighed and rolled off the bed. Thinking about him would depress her again so she figured a trip out into the city would benefit her. 

* * *

Gabe was camped out in the cab of the truck. His father was driving and the trip was long and silent. They had their plan to execute and Gabe wanted to take some of the downtime for himself. He had pulled the curtains closed and rifled through his coat pockets. He pulled out that small bird ornament again and studied it. Why did he have such a strong attachment to it? Why didn't he leave it behind? Staring at the bird was causing him to doze off and he began to dream...

_A woman was hovering by his side and whispering in his ear..._

_"You lost the most important person in your life and I know it will be difficult to fill the emptiness in your heart, but I'd like to try..." _

_Her lips brushed against his and he embraced her kiss. Next he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. _

Gabe was shaken awake roughly and he nearly fell off the bunk. "What? What?" a startled Gabe asked.

"Move it kid, we're here," Joker said and hovered momentarily over his son. "I made a phew calls while you were out and we're meeting up with some old friends of mine."

"Who?"

"Come with me," Joker said and disappeared through the curtains.

Gabe climbed off the bunk and remembered the small bird. It was lying on the mattress near his pillow. He picked it up and pocketed it before sliding on his trench coat and putting a cowboy hat on. He followed his father out into the freezing cold and spotted two extremely oversized men. Gabe looked around the parking lot. They must be somewhere outside the city because off in the distance they could see the skyscrapers. The surrounding territory was still being built and the building nearby must be Joker's chosen hideout. Suddenly Joker's hand crashed on Gabe's shoulder and the youngster found himself being pushed towards the two associates.

"Glad to see you two were able to escape jail after all these years. Still spry as ever! Kiddo, meet my henchmen, Punch and Judy."

"Uh...hey," Gabe muttered and held out his hand to one of them. It was impossible to tell which one was which, they dressed nearly identical in dark black suits and their makeup was the same. Gabe found his hand was squashed in theirs when he greeted them with a handshake.

"Boys, this is Gabriel. My son..."

A shocked Punch and Judy were taken aback momentarily and then their faces turned to smirks, directed at their boss.

"Haha, very funny boys. One of us had to get some action in the last two decades!" Joker chuckled. He patted his son and then turned towards the truck, "Ready to get some major work done?"

Punch and Judy smiled before joining their boss on the back of the truck and they started lifting the tanks as though they weighed nothing more than an empty shoebox. No wonder Joker hired these guys.

"We have three days to plant these and then the party really begins..." Joker said cruelly; a grin slowly spread across his face. Joker then looked at his son, "Smile my boy, you're gonna love this. I have a special job for you the day of our big unveiling."

One of Gabe's brows rose with curiosity and he couldn't help but grin. It was not clear to him why he was so happy about this job...

"That's my boy!"

When Gabe joined Punch and Judy in the truck, Joker paused and peered at his son. He had hoped the kid would have been a little more enthusiastic about the job. Did the chemicals have any affect on his passive personality? Perhaps he should have left Gabe in the vat a little longer...of course...the kid would probably have drowned. Joker would have to keep an eye on him. Would Gabe be able to go through with this plan or would he crumble under the pressure? This was the ultimate test to see if the kid had truly forgotten his past and was ready to embrace the life of crime lord. Someone had to carry the 'Clown Prince of Crime' title after Joker retired. If he should retire...

After two tanks were unloaded and the rest were repositioned in the truck, Punch and Judy transported the tanks to the backs of smaller moving vans and the four of them planned to scatter across the city and plant one tank in the basement of city hall, beneath the stock exchange, two would go in the courthouse, and the other twelve would be placed along the busiest streets of the city. Anyone who smelled this gas would not know what hit them. This concoction was Joker's trademark and everyone would fall victim to it, dying of laughter. But before the gas poured into the city, Joker needed to make sure the world knew his name once again. That's where the 'Lighting of the Tree' ceremony would come in. It was to be broadcast all across the United States.

That was where Joker and his son would execute the mayor and the one who funded majority of the city's rebuilding...Mr. Wayne. Then they would gain control of the city together.

It took two and a half days to set up all of the tanks and the exhausted crew settled in the warehouse for a period of rest. Gabe was yet again scrolling through his old messages. Every time he did this, he would have a memory lapse or vision. It was reoccurring. Something was missing from his life and he was certain that girl Willow was something to do with it. He angrily shut his phone and stuffed it in his coat. Why couldn't he remember?

"God dammit! I'm getting fucking pissed!" Gabe growled and he ripped the small ornament out of his pocket. He squeezed the little dove almost to the point of breaking but then loosened his grip. He couldn't destroy it, not just yet. When he heard footsteps coming down the hall, he stuffed the bird back in his jeans and watched the door slowly open. It was Punch...or Judy, whatever...

The henchman waved for Gabe to follow, which he did and silently followed the giant towards storage. Tonight was the night...

* * *

An excited Willow walked along the shopping center with a song in heart and a huge smile. She'd made it through her interview in the passing days and she was confident that she would be taken on as a nurse in training in the coming few weeks. Her application was under review and the recruiter seemed to like her. Plus she met with the staff and took a tour of the facility. One nurse let it slip that if Willow was allowed to meet the staff this early on, then there was a high probability that she was already in the registration process. She was told she would get confirmation within the month.

Now she was happily waiting for the ceremony of Gotham to begin. The civic plaza and the streets surrounding it was congested with people. Policemen patrolled around on horseback and motorcycles, keeping the crowds in check. Willow could see the tree in the distance. Even unlit, it looked beautiful. It must have been nearly two stories tall and covered with burgundy and gold ribbons and ornaments the size of a human skull. She stared at it in awe. Dusk would be arriving soon. Her stomach growled and she decided to splurge on a caramel apple with a cup of delicious alcohol-free eggnog. There were vendors everywhere and the lines were long but worth the wait. Her apple was delicious and the nog only lasted a few minutes. She downed it like she would her own hot chocolate.

After she tossed her stick and cup in a trash bin, she heard a voice ring out over the loudspeakers, catching the crowd's attention and soon enough the people began to cheer.

_'Greetings to the people of Gotham and happy holidays!' _

The voice was not familiar to Willow but she heard others in the crowd mentioning the name Gordon. Apparently he was the commissioner years ago. Now he was apart of the city's council and Gotham's brand new mayor. On stage he was joined by the suave Bruce Wayne. The billionaire was still an active member of Wayne Enterprises and if not for him, the city may never have been able to recover. Unfortunately to do so, he had donated majority of his company's fortune to the project. Still, once the economy was on its feet, that money would likely be recovered. Willow had seen Wayne in the newspapers many times and she remembers her money talking about him when she was a little girl. Something about the guy being handsome and loaded. Willow laughed at the memories of her mother. Wayne was still really handsome for a gentleman in his oh...fifties and now carrying a cane.

A long speech by Gordon was given, followed up by another lengthy one from Wayne. Then a young woman was invited up on stage to assist the council with lighting the tree. The girl was probably a hired actress by the way she was dressed in a goofy elf costume.

Gordon proudly spoke into the microphone while he, Wayne, and the girl hovered over the large button resting upon a pedestal in front of the tree, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is our pleasure to reopen the city of Gotham!"

The three of them pushed the button and the great tree lit up in all of its splendor. Red and gold glittered amongst its branches and the people went wild. Couples around Willow were kissing and there was some guy nearby proposing to his girlfriend. Others were throwing their hats up into the air and confetti sprinkled down from the sky. It was very much like New York City during its new years eve party. Willow joined in with the cheering and threw a handful of snow in the air.

A few minutes of joyfulness had passed...but the glee would be short lived...

The tree suddenly turned dark again and the street lamps were flickering. Gordon and Wayne looked at each other in confusion and they spoke into the microphone to keep the crowds calm.

"Be calm citizens, it is only a hiccup in the power. The city is still under construction and that may include the electric. We'll have it under control in-"

Suddenly there was a loud cackle coming out of nowhere, confusing the crowds. People glanced in every direction, trying to find the source. Wayne and Gordon were not amused. To them this must have been some sort of sick joke. The voice sounded familiar to them, but they were certain that he was no longer around...

When the laugh echoed through the plaza again, the people grew nervous.

Gordon's brow furrowed. It had to be a coincidence.

Within seconds, a dark figure in a long brown trench coat burst out of the tree, pulling down strings of lights with it and landed on the stage. Two larger figures leapt out beside him, surprising Mr. Wayne and Gordon. When the lights repositioned on the figures, it revealed their identities.

There was a lot of screaming from the audience, particularly from the adults and elderly. The children were at a loss.

People were beginning to push and shove, trying to get out of the plaza but a booming voice rang out over the loudspeakers.  
"Hold your horses people! The show's just beginning!" the Joker shouted into the microphone on the podium. His message didn't quite get across to the crowd so he threatened them when they continued to scramble, "If anyone even thinks of slipping out of the plaza, then I will trigger this!" He produced a small remote from his jacket. "This little doodad will set off a chain reaction within the city. I rigged several tanks to explode and release a very toxic chemical...some of you may be familiar with Joker gas!"

People cried and gasped but no one moved an inch once the madman made his demand. Willow was also terrified. So this was the legendary Joker. He was as scary as Gabe described. Actually, would Gabe be with Joker she wondered.

Joker snapped his fingers and this signaled Punch and Judy to take Gordon and Wayne hostage. The two older men fought back against the thugs but age was a factor and they were taken captive after a brief struggle. A defiant Wayne kicked at his captor but Joker casually strolled over and thrust his fist into the billionaire's belly, making him double over.

"How is it that you are still alive?" Wayne asked, his voice cracking with pain.

"Oh I have my ways Mr. Wayne," Joker replied. "I'm indestructible!" The clown then picked up Wayne's cane and proceeded to hitting him on the back. Wayne tumbled to his knees.

"Enough Joker!" Gordon shouted.

"Whatcha gonna do about it old man?" Joker said and tilted Gordon's head upwards with the tip of the cane.

A few police officers were rushing the stage but stopped short when a heavy dose of green clouds poured from Joker's mouth and into their faces. The spores worked their magic and the cops turned heel towards the crowds and withdrew their pistols. Any other cops that rushed the stage received the same fate.

Now that Joker had Gordon and Wayne at his mercy, he could move forward with his plan. It was time. He pulled the microphone from the podium, "Now people, I would like to introduce you to someone special."

Willow's eyes reverted back towards the stage and she wondered what was going on. However the crowd kept getting in her way and she couldn't see anything nor hear over the shouts. Joker's voice was then cut off when an object flew down past the tree and connected with the cable attached to the microphone. It lodged itself into the podium and completely cut off the speakers.

"What the?" Joker asked, surprised and he retrieved the object. "A batarang?" Joker's smile suddenly turned into a frown and he studied the weapon. It was more streamlined than the originals and appeared hi-tech. "Batsy?" Joker's eyes lifted towards the sky and a very black figure was shooting down towards the ground using nothing more than a set of gliders attached to his arms and rockets from his boots. Joker watched as the figure landed on the stage with a gentle thump and he took in the new sight. "It really is you! I would have thought you'd have retired by now! Look at you! A new outfit and new equipment...how nice. Well no matter, we can just pick up where we left off..." Joker said.

"Release Wayne and Gordon and the people of Gotham," Batman demanded.

"Wait a second, you don't sound like my old adversary."

Batman repeated his demands but found himself to be dodging a multitude of punches from Joker.

"Kid, now I know you aren't my Batsy! So the old prune did retire and left me with a rookie! That irritates the fuck out of me!"

The crowd was beginning to ignore Joker's earlier demands of staying put and several people were running for the open streets. It was pandemonium.

"Not able to prevent them from leaving, Joker slammed his finger down on the detonator and several explosions could be heard throughout the city. Gas slowly emitted into the air and Joker decided to get the job done faster, "Gabe! Do your part now!"

Gabe no longer waited for his cue and quickly leapt out of the tree, holding a broad knife.

Joker was preoccupied with fending off the new Batman and his two henchmen were still holding Wayne and Gordon still.

Something was not quite right with Gabe. He was hesitating to do the dastardly deed and assassinate the two primary figureheads of Gotham. Memories were flashing through his head. He remembered seeing this Bruce Wayne in person at some point in his life, but when? A hand flew up to his temple and he tried to block out the memories but they were flooding his thoughts. He held up the knife and approached Wayne whom glanced back at him with defiance.

Joker dodged another swing, "Kill him Gabe!"

Gabe lifted the weapon and prepared to drive the blade into Wayne's throat but then he heard the billionaire speak in a low tone.

"I can tell you don't want to do this. Don't ruin your life by following in the Joker's footsteps..."

The knife lowered a little and Gabe nearly doubled over when more memories overtook him. "Why won't this stop!" he screamed. He spun around and dropped the knife. The crowd had nearly dispersed save for a few people scattered here and there, too afraid to move. He glanced at them all, hoping to distract himself from the images. Then he saw a lone woman standing nearby an apple stand. She looked just like someone from one of his memories. He had to find out who she was and he leapt off the stage; running for the girl.

Willow screamed when some freaky looking henchman of the Joker's came sailing towards her. She found that her legs were frozen from fright. However a policeman came between her and the nutcase, finally free of the spore's control and pointed his gun towards the lunatic.

"Halt you! Put your hands in the air!" the officer shouted.

Gabriel stopped in his tracks but did not put his hands up. Instead he rolled along the ground to take cover behind a food cart and crawl away into the crowd.

Joker growled when he saw his son abandon his post and fail to murder the richest bastard in the city. With a swift kick to Batman's stomach, he gave himself enough time to dive for the knife and thrust it towards the billionaire. The knife connected with Wayne's back and split open the tender flesh, spilling blood all over the stage.

Wayne cried out in pain and fell forward with Joker along with him, making sure the blade sunk deep.

Batman didn't allow the Joker any time to do the same with Gordon and attacked the clown. "The original Batman told me all about you. I know how you work and your going to need some new tricks to take me on!"

Batman was cocky and Joker hated it. The clown yanked the knife from Wayne's back and attempted to hit the newbie Bat with it, missing.

"Judy! Punch!" Joker shouted.

The two goons were upon Batman, but like the Bat said, they needed some new tricks. He was able to fend them off and allow Gordon the time to assist Wayne to his feet and escort him off stage. Joker wouldn't allow them to leave even if it meant blowing up the entire stage. One bomb was planted below them and he set off the detonator to give himself some time to escape. He called for his goons and the three of them dashed into the crowds. Eventually they found Gabe at the rear of the plaza, awaiting them with a stolen car. Joker climbed into the passenger seat and unleashed a series of vines, each one wrapping itself around a different body part of his son. Then they slammed Gabe into the back of the car. Joker filed into the driver's side as his associates climbed in after him.

The vines were tight around Gabe's body, especially the one around Gabe's throat. He couldn't speak and he could barely breathe; an attack was beginning to brew and it was impossible for him to pull out his medicine from his pocket. He gasped for air and drew no sympathy from his father nor the goons.

Joker was seriously angry even though part of his plan was successful. He wanted to make a mark in history and make sure to leave a legacy behind if he were to die. Well, the city knew he was alive, that's good. But his son was a failure and he would pay dearly for it...

_To be continued..._


	37. Chapter 34

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 34

Turtledoves

Gabriel was dragged out of the car and back into the warehouse. His limbs were bound tightly and he couldn't move to save his life.

"So kiddo, it appears we have a little problem." Joker clicked his tongue as he circled his son, whom was lying on the floor. "Your are much too weak for my tastes and I've decided to punish you. I can't count on you to get the job done. So disappointing..." He then walked over to a pile of building materials and dug out a two-inch-in-diameter pipe. These were probably being used for construction in the city but they should suit Joker's purpose just fine. He returned to his son's side. "Let's see how well you can handle it."

There wasn't a lot of time for Gabe to think about what that statement meant as his father's foot crashed into his gut, causing him to curl up for a moment. Then the cold metal pipe collided with his lower back. Gabe groaned but was grateful that he had several layers of clothing on to give him some sort of protection. But if Joker hit hard enough, the cloth would only do so much. Another swing of the pipe came and went. It struck him between the shoulder blades. It hurt like hell. There wasn't a whole lot of body fat covering up this part of his spine so it felt as though his bones rattled.

For several minutes, Gabe's back endured the brunt of the beating...at least until Joker flipped him over. Then the sensitive flesh of Gabe's belly was exposed to the pipe and soon enough, his stomach ached and he felt sick. He prayed there wasn't any internal damage.

Joker tossed the pipe aside and grabbed his son by the shirt; holding him up so they were face to face. "How's it feel?" Gabe didn't respond and Joker's fist crashed across his face. A trickle of blood seeped out of Gabe's mouth and dribbled past his chin and the flesh around it began to swell up.

It was by far the worst beating Joker ever inflicted on the poor kid.

"I knew you'd be a problem. That humbling personality of yours...it makes me sick!" Joker then harshly threw Gabe against a solid cement wall; knocking the kid out.

Punch and Judy only watched as their boss beat the living shit out of the kid and waited for new orders. Joker paced around in front of them for a moment before calling to them. "Let's move boys, we have a lot of work to do to make up for the weakling's failure." The henchmen didn't follow right away; their eyes still on Gabe. "Leave him there. He's out cold and if I'm lucky, in a permanent coma."

The three men then filed out of the room, intending to create a new plan of attack on Gotham. There was a mayor to hunt down!

That very night...

A cold breeze snuck through the cracks of the warehouse door, kissing Gabe's nose and startling him awake. His vision was blurry but nothing could compare to the ridiculous pain he felt throughout his body. His head throbbed as a result of it striking the wall so hard earlier. His chest hurt terribly with every breath and his lower back was a mess. He lay on the frozen concrete for several minutes before deciding to sit up. Big mistake. He howled when a sharpness rushed up his spine and lay back down. It calmed him slightly. How could Joker hurt him so badly and not feel any remorse?

As he lay there, he found himself thinking about the conversation he'd had with Joker shortly after his dive in the chemicals. That story his father fed him just seemed so utterly ridiculous.

Then a memory filled his head. Something about a pumpkin carving contest and there was a birthday cake shape like a superhero. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to grasp the memory fully. There was that woman again but this time she had red hair and she seemed to be holding out a small tube to him. It was an inhaler.

Gabe mumbled incoherently as the images were beginning to merge together and make more sense. It was like watching a film in his head. The redhead was holding a little boy and counting to three as she helped him take his medicine. Then they embraced...and suddenly something within Gabe clicked.

"Mom..."

He remembered her. Sera...the actress and nurse. Wait a second, a nurse? There was another one in his life, he was sure of it. Was it the woman who kept trying to contact him? He needed to find out about her and now. Painfully he leaned over and dug his cell phone from his coat pocket and opened up the text messages. His bleeding fingers pressed on the touch screen slowly and he managed to type 'I need help...can we meet?'. Then he laid the phone down on his thigh and grimaced as he attempted to survey his injuries. They were everywhere and some internal. Several minutes went by before he heard the familiar beeping of a new text message. He quickly picked up his phone and opened his inbox.

_'Why should I bother? You pretend to be my friend and then deny my existence!'_

The words stung but he didn't know why. He responded hoping that she wouldn't send another scathing message. _'Please, I need to talk to you. I hope you can answer some questions for me.'_

An even longer amount of time passed before her next text was received. _'Fine. But I'm in Gotham and your father was here. Are you here too? When and where do you want to meet up and be prepared because I'm very pissed off.' _

He didn't understand her anger. She said they were friends but how did that relationship develop? Hopefully she wouldn't add to his injuries when he asked her. He sent a final message, _'Please meet me outside of Gotham's city hall tonight at six p.m. but in the back alleyway. I'll have a hood on so don't be alarmed when you see me.'_

_'Why would I be alarmed? All right, whatever...I'll be there.'_

With that confirmation, Gabe had a little bit of time to plan his escape from Joker and those two thugs. Hopefully he wouldn't frighten Willow to the point where she would run. He planned to wear the hoodie he found in the back seat of the stolen car.

A few hours later, he'd managed to drag himself over to the warehouse door and pushed it open, letting cold air blow in his face and sting his cheeks. It must have been under twenty degrees. His teeth were chattering and his fingers were starting to numb but he pulled himself to his feet. It hurt even worse to walk. His face was swollen on the left side and it felt as though his ribs were bruised. Breathing was a challenge. A few puffs of his inhaler didn't do much to help. His legs turned to mush as he slowly sloshed across the snow-covered asphalt and he tumbled over a few times. It was about five p.m. There was time to get into the city as long as he made it to the car soon.

It took a little bit, but he made it to the stolen vehicle and wrenched open the frozen driver-side door. A thing layer of ice formed on the windshield, but it would come off with the wipers. He piled into the car and closed the door; relief washing over him when the bitter wind stopped pelting him with flurries and he slipped on the hoodie. The wires under the dashboard still dangled from the previous night and he quickly touched the two together, forcing the car to start. The engine revved a few times and he waited until the heat kicked in before slowly driving into the blizzard. As he drove, he couldn't help but feel his escape was far too easy...

* * *

Willow paced back and forth along the side of the City Hall building. The alleyway was close by but she had been too terrified to actually wait inside it. She checked her phone for the tenth time, seeing it was ten after six p.m. and grew annoyed. Could this have been a joke? Why would Gabe promise to meet her here and then not show up? He obviously wanted to see her by the way he nearly begged in his texts. She shoved her phone back into her purse and tapped her foot. Perhaps she ought to walk down the alley a few feet just to see if maybe he was already back there.

Putting on a brave face she began her trek into the dimly lit alleyway. She passed by the fire escape of the building until she came upon the recycling bins and dumpster. No Gabe. She groaned and turned heel to go back towards the street, but a low whisper captured her attention.

"Willow?"

She looked behind and saw nobody standing by the dumpster. Then she turned in a circle only to receive the same result.

"Up here."

Willow's eyes turned upwards towards the fire escape and she saw a figure standing on the platform. "Gabe?" She squinted but couldn't see his face. Like he said, he'd be wearing a hood. She watched cautiously as Gabe climbed down the ladder and made no move towards him, still wary of him. He appeared to be struggling. When his feet touched the ground, she was certain he might have been injured. She would have rushed over to him, but her anger slowly began to rise to the surface once again, "So...what do you have to ask me and why are you hiding your face?"

Gabe breathed deeply and exhaled, "I need you to tell me how we met and the extent of our relationship."

She felt as though she wanted to smack him, "Are you serious? You were there! How can you not know? And why didn't you call me back? You send me a text message asking me who I am after we've had a few dates! Is this a joke to you? Are you just another one of those 'players' that meets a girl, takes her out on a few dates and then gets her in the sack before dumping her ass?"

"No! No! I really can't remember anything about you! My father-"

"Oh that's right! What the hell are you doing in Gotham anyways? Running an errand with your father? I saw him last night. I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with him, but here you are!"

"Willow, I-"

"I thought we might have had something Gabe! I liked you!"

"Please just let me-"

"I'm so mad at you!"

Suddenly Willow's shoulders were being crushed under the strength of Gabe's hands as he gripped onto her with annoyance.

"Willow. Shut. Up." Gabe demanded, his persona somewhat representing his father's when the clown himself grew impatient.

Her mouth clamped together tightly with fright. Gabe has never grabbed her like this before and she began to wonder if this was truly her friend. In a flash her hand was at his hood and yanking it down.

"Willow don't!" Gabe cried when his face was exposed.

She gasped, eyes enormous and her breath caught in her throat. The shock lasted for several seconds until she finally managed, "J...Jo..." She peered into his black orbs, hoping this was only a nightmare. The red rims around his eyes did nothing to ease her fears. They looked like a blood trail running down each cheek. His blackened lips matched the darkness of his hair. His skin was whiter than death.

"Don't say it, don't say it!"

"Joker? What have you...you're not Gabe!" And she began screaming for help.

He was afraid this would happen and he pressed his palm to her mouth to silence her. Tears poured down her cheeks. He couldn't bare to see her in this state. Her fists pounded against his already aching chest and did his best to ignore the pain. Her muffled screams didn't attract any attention; the last thing he needed was a visit from the Batman.

"Please calm down! I'm not gonna hurt you!" Gabe tried to assure her but her flailing didn't stop. He squashed her against his chest, but nothing appeared to be working. After a few minutes of panicking, she finally stopped and her body went limp. He had to catch her falling form before she hit her head on the ground. Willow fainted. Not really knowing what to do, Gabe scooped her up and carried her out of the alleyway towards his car. He needed to get her somewhere warm; himself as well.

After Gabe loaded her in the car, he drove off towards the touristy part of town. Above, on the roof of the City Hall, a pair of eyes had just witnessed the entire scene...a deep scarlet set of eyes...

"So that's the little girlfriend." Joker muttered to himself. He knew something was up the moment Gabe bailed on their mission last night and set his son up. It was true, Gabe's little bath wasn't enough to rid him of his attachment to that girl. And the beating didn't do anything to force his son to do his bidding. Well, there was only one other thing Joker could think of to do...

* * *

Willow stirred and groaned as she came to. She thought it was all a terrible nightmare but interestingly found herself in a comfy queen sized bed with the blankets pulled up on her. Her heavy jacket, socks, and boots had been removed and placed nearby in front of the fireplace. Fireplace? Her blood pressure rose slightly. "Where am I?" she asked loudly.

"At the regency hotel in a suite."

Willow jolted in the bed and her eyes fixed themselves on the man standing by the television set. "Why did you bring me here Joker!"

Gabe shook his head, "I am not my father."

"How do I know that? You look exactly like him; only a different paint job!" Then she took an even closer look, seeing the bruising on his face and along his arms. "And you look like you've just been in a boxing match with Mike Tyson."

"I suppose you can say that." Gabe turned off the television set and tossed the remote and he leaned back onto the mattress. He was glad to have rented a two bed suite, otherwise Willow might have tried to kick him just now. He noticed her slowly crawling to the edge of her bed. "Don't get any ideas. I'm between you and the door. I just want to talk, Willow."

"There's nothing you can say to change my mind! Why have you captured me and why am I not dead yet?"

"I have no plans to kill you, now or ever! And I didn't capture you. I brought you to this hotel because you fainted and my father has no idea you and I are here. Like I said, I just want to talk. Give me a chance..."

Willow sat back down, "Fine. But if I think you're trying to trick me, I will scream for help."

"Fair enough. After we're finished I'll let you walk out of here, but for now I have questions for you."

She nodded.

"Can you tell me about our dates and anything I may have told you about my history? How did we meet? Just tell me anything that can jog my memory."

For over an hour, Gabe watched her intently and listened to every word. She told him the story of his mother which completely contradicted everything Joker told him. His head was starting to throb with the overload of information. She didn't go into anything about her own personal life except for their first date together.

"So that's pretty much everything you and I did that night. It was a really fancy restaurant and you and I fought over who would pay the bill," Willow said.

Gabe nodded, "It's still somewhat fuzzy to me, but I think it's coming together. I think..."

"This still doesn't prove to me that you're not the Joker." She stood up and slowly began walking around the bed. Her purse rested on the table nearby. She fully intended to leave.

The information jumbled in his head. "Please, there has to be more you can tell me."

"No, there isn't," she lied and slipped her purse onto her arm and moved towards the fireplace for her socks.

"Nothing's making sense. You must have left something out of the story. I need to know!" He got up off the bed and approached her.

Willow cowered back against the wall, "You said you'd let me go after I was finished. I told you everything!" she cried.

"What else is there?"

"Nothing!"

Gabe was now in her face and she could feel his hot breath on her cheeks. He tried to be delicate with her; his hand reaching up and touching her shoulder. "Please..."

But Gabe suddenly felt a fist connect with his gut and he hunched over, his belly aching from the strike while she quickly gathered her things and rushed for the door. He couldn't let her leave under these circumstances and quickly chased after her and caught her elbow just a few feet away from the door. He dragged her back into the room and pushed her down onto the mattress. She screamed but his hand cut off her cries as he muffled her again.

"Please stop screaming. I don't want to do this, but you're forcing me to!" he barked. What else could he do?

Willow started to struggle against him and he climbed on top of her, clamping his legs so she couldn't kick him in the groin. She had one free arm and her purse nearby. The only thing she could think of to do was to whack him with the oversized bag but he blocked her swings and the purse fell out of her hand and its contents spilled out all over the bed. He held down her arm but then something caught his eye. A small white bird was lying on the comforter. It looked just like the one he possessed. He let go of her arm and collected the little ornament. This little bird was in a position where it should be hugging a partner. Something in his memory was becoming clearer and he let go of her mouth, allowing her to scream again.

Frightened and flailing, Willow tried to get his heavy body off hers but it appeared the clown wasn't paying her any attention. He had her dove ornament and now he was reaching into his pants pocket for something. "Don't break it! It's special to me!" she pleaded. She tried to take it back but he held it out of her reach. Then she saw what he withdrew from his jeans. It was another dove and she suddenly stopped struggling.

Gabe held both birds out and slowly brought them together while reciting, "Won't they miss each other?" Then the little birds snapped back together perfectly to become one ornament. They were snuggled together, the male's head draped over the female's with great affection. Gabe couldn't help but stare at how beautiful it looked when it was whole. Then his gaze fell to Willow's stunned face. "They are a symbol of devotion...I remember a kiss we shared on your couch..." he said.

Willow's mouth hung open for a moment. Only her friend would know about that...

"Willow...please don't be afraid of me..." Gabe whispered and he leaned in towards her. He spotted the beginning of tears in her eyes.

"Gabriel..." she finally said. The tears slid down her cheeks as she stared into his dark eyes; still seeing the softness in them. Her voice was barely a whisper. "What happened to you?"

His eyes closed in relief and he smiled. "It's a long story."

"One I'm ready to listen to," she replied and allowed him to take her hand.

He scooted backwards and pulled her upright so she could sit properly and he had her full attention. While he talked, Willow studied his new features and asked the occasional question. He did his best to answer them, but his memory was still fuzzy. When he mentioned the story that Joker fed him, her eyes narrowed and she would shake her head in disbelief at that pack of lies.

"How could your dad lie to you like that?"

"It's just how he is."

The story was finished and it was late into the night. The two of them sat in silence while they each gathered their thoughts. Eventually Gabe stood up, intending to grab some water from the ice bucket on the dresser. Willow saw him limp over to the other side of the bed and fetch it.

"That's right! What happened to you? Did your father beat you again?"

Gabe swallowed the cool water, "Yeah...actually that's why I was hoping you'd help me earlier. My injuries, they might be extensive and I can't go to a hospital."

"Okay, I can take a look for you. Take your shirt and jeans off and I'll see how bad the damage is, but if it's beyond my help, I'm dragging you to a hospital."

"Fair enough." He then put down the cup and began undressing while she turned around to give him some privacy. Afterwards, he lay down on the bed in his boxer shorts. He peered at his stomach and saw the ugly black and blue marks lining it, "You can look now."

Willow turned around and gasped, "Oh my god, look at you! Your body is a mess!" She rushed over to his side and started with his chest. Her hands roamed along the contours of his upper body, searching for any breaks. Gabe flinched when she reached his right side.

"Sorry." She apologized and continued pressing her fingers firmly into his skin, "I don't feel any breaks in your rib cage, but that doesn't mean there aren't any fractures. Hopefully its just really bad bruising. What did he hit you with?"

"A pipe."

"A pipe?" she repeated, appalled with Joker's cruel method. "I'm surprised that you are still in one piece!"

"I was wearing a thick layer of clothing. I think that helped."

"It did. If you were wearing that leather jacket of yours, it kept you from getting any major lacerations and you probably avoided any sort of infections from rusty metal." She moved down along his belly and only saw heavy bruising before moving to his legs. Everything looked the same, but having seen his ankle the opinion changed. "Looks like a sprained ankle, but not a serious one. If you're going to keep walking on it, I recommend putting a brace on." She then crawled back onto the bed, "You're pretty resilient to be able to take a beating like that and come out with only bruising."

Gabe shut his eyes, "I don't know, I think my father went easy on me. He could have killed me if he wanted. I was at his mercy and I keep defying him. He never shows mercy to his victims."

"As black as his heart is, I don't think Joker is able to kill you. You're still his son."

Gabe shrugged, "I don't know."

"Anyways, you should get some rest. Your body needs to heal. Tomorrow morning we'll get you a bandage and some pain meds and I'll treat you to breakfast."

"Breakfast will be on me," Gabe insisted.

"No, you're the injured one. I'll get it."

"No, no. You listened to me and helped me to sort out many memories. If I had gone to anyone else, I'd have been arrested for my looks alone. I have a long recovery..." He took her hand and brought it to his black lips and left a gentle kiss on her knuckle. "I'd rather be looked after by you than anyone else." He tugged gently on her arm, "Stay by my side?"

Willow smiled. "Of course..." She then slipped the comforter out from under him and curled into the bed next to him. He put his arm around her and she was now face to face with him. His mouth was swollen and the flesh surrounding his eyes was a tinge of purple. She started with his temple and planted a kiss on the bruise and slowly moved down along his cheek, leaving more behind until she reached his mouth.

Her lips met with his and suddenly the memory of their first kiss became clearer. Gabe remembered that they shared a very special relationship. It held a deeper meaning than friendship...he once told himself that he learned to love again. He broke their kiss so he could just stare into her eyes. She showed no fear, only warmth and love for him. And he finally said, "Willow, I-I think I've...fallen in love with you."

Her tongue traced along her lips, as though she were in thought. Her tears threatened to fall again and she said, "So have I..."

With that being said, Gabe's mouth crashed down on hers again and they shared a heavy, passionate kiss. The moment was right, the mood was deeply romantic, and Gabe didn't want this night to end. He felt whole again...

_To be continued..._


	38. Chapter 35

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 35

Last Laugh

It was three in the morning and the couple were cuddling together, asleep. Gabe had pleasant dreams for once and he didn't let go of his bed partner. Willow's face was pressing against his neck and she would occasionally stir, kiss his neck, and fall back asleep.

Gabe's current dream was one of his mother from a long time ago when he was five...

_"Gabriel, Merry Christmas my love!" Sera said, gently shaking her son awake._

_Gabe's eyes had opened and he smiled with excitement at her._

_"You little sneak, how long have you been awake?"_

_Gabe giggled. He had been awake for the past hour waiting for his mother to 'wake' him up so he could charge into the living room to open his presents. He rolled out of bed and rushed out of his bedroom, followed by his mother. The Christmas tree was all lit up and a pile of presents surrounded the base. He was about to reach for the nearest package but his mother stopped him._

_"Pictures first sweetheart! Then you can start with your stocking."_

_"Awe mommy!" Gabe pouted but he did as she asked and held still for some pictures and holding a few presents with goofy poses. Then she allowed him to dig through his stocking._

_After several smaller gifts, Gabe was finally given a medium sized present. He tore apart the red paper and unraveled an action figure._

_"It's my Iron Man toy!" Gabe squealed at the twelve inch doll. He jumped up and down with happiness and pulled open the box, all other presents forgotten. With his mother's help undoing the ties, Gabe had his doll squashed against his chest. "Thank you mommy!" He then embraced his mother in a tight hug..._

A small tear trickled down Gabe's cheek, unconsciously. After a few minutes, he couldn't take the dream any longer and stirred awake. Willow was still next to him, her warm body giving him some comfort and he held her tighter while placing a small kiss on her forehead. He closed his eyes again after seeing that it was still in the dead of night, but fate was such a cruel mistress. He suddenly felt a set of hands on his arm and he was ripped from the bed, losing his grip on Willow. The hands were incredibly strong and he started kicking at his attacker. However another pair of hands snaked around his legs and held them firmly. Gabe was now dangling in the air, unable to move and his injuries were suffering; aching from the odd position which he hung.

Then he heard Willow scream and the lights in the room turned on...

Gabe gasped upon seeing his father holding a struggling Willow. He had her mouth covered with his palm and a knife pressed to her throat. She had her fingers curled around his forearm, desperately trying to get him to let her go.

"Well, well...my boy. It appears as though I just can't get through to you," Joker began, his voice an unusually light tone and meaning he was thoroughly angry. "I've tried everything that I could think of to make you into a man, but you hold on to your 'precious' memories like a little boy. And now you've gone and gotten yourself attached to a woman, against my advice. You stupid boy..." He then gestured to Judy, whom was holding Gabe's feet.

The thug twisted Gabe's injured ankle, making him howl in agony. He moaned heavily, "Don't fucking do that..."

"Awe. hurts does it? Well, I'm sure what I'm going to do next will hurt you even more." Joker pressed the blade even closer to Willow's neck.

"Don't!" Gabe shouted. A small trickle of blood streaked down her neck and Gabe could see the fear in her eyes. "You fucking bastard!"

Joker's mouth fell open and his eyes widened before slowly turning into a look of pure malice, "My dear boy, you've just made a grave mistake again. Remember the last time? I broke your arm as if it were nothing more than a toothpick. Now I'm going to doing something you'll regret forever. Judy, Punch...do it and I'll get a head start. You know where I'll be kiddo. When you wise up and heal, come for the girl and hope that she isn't dead when you do. But don't come too early or I will kill her." Joker gave his son one last look, "Weakling..." and he then laughed heartily.

Gabe struggled again as Joker forced Willow out the hotel room door, keeping her as quiet as he could and breaking through a hallway window to carry her off. Then Judy released his legs and punched Gabe in the shoulder, causing it to crack. The youngster could tell his collarbone was broken, but didn't have any time to recover. Judy's fist slammed across his face, knocking him unconscious.

Punch let go of Gabe's arms and allowed the kid to fall to the floor. Then both henchmen silently left the hotel room, following the path their boss had taken...

* * *

Gabriel didn't wake up until the following morning and boy was he in for a world of pain. He shouted obscenities at the world and placed his hand over the horrid injury. The bone didn't pierce the skin and he could still move his left arm but he could hear his break grinding. It was a little more serious than he thought and would need some sort of medical attention. He dragged himself to his feet and slowly but painfully got dressed. Then he gathered all of his things and limped down to the lobby to check out. He pulled his hoodie up so not to frighten anyone and he had the concierge call a cab for him to take him to Gotham city hospital.

The entire wait inside the emergency room was long and frustrating but Gabe just barely remembered his father mentioning to come for Willow when his body healed. It was obvious that Joker wanted him to be fully recovered, but what for?

It had been nearly three hours and still no call to an open room, but Gabe wasn't in a hurry at this point. He was eavesdropping in on a conversation some people nearby were having. Apparently there was a story happening in Gotham. When the city slowly began rebuilding itself, a few of the original villains of legend remade their appearances. But then they fell off the map again. Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Firefly, etc. Of course they were much older, save for Freeze. Something about his body kept him from aging. All throughout the newspapers, these villains were being found dead. There was an article about the Joker returning and a lot of interest in his youthfulness. Still Gabe had to wonder what was going on. Joker mentioned them when he was little but referred to them as 'lousy competition'. On a final note, Bruce Wayne was also mentioned to have survived the attack the other night and was in the hospital.

"Gabriel Johnston..."

Gabe's attention was pulled away when his name was called and he followed the nurse through the E.R. It was at least another forty-five minutes until the doctor came in to see him and it was quite a huge problem when Gabe was forced to strip down. The doctor flipped when he saw the 'Joker' and nearly called for security but when Gabe cut off the care-giver's escape to explain, the man was able to calm down. Gabe had to prove he wasn't Joker, which was a simple task. He easily explained that everyone in the hospital would be either dead or laying on the floor with enormous grins while in an unconscious state hours ago. Then Gabe asked the doctor to keep the visit short and anonymous. An x-ray was ordered and Gabe found himself on a cold steel table, piled high with radiation-protective vests.

It turns out the break in his collar was clean and easy to set but he would need to rest it in an upright position for the first ten days. Gabe knew he didn't have a lot of time to spare, who knows what Joker was doing to poor Willow but he knew his father wouldn't kill her right away. It was a plot point...a joke if you will. She would be alive when Gabe came for her and Joker would use her to his advantage.

Later in the afternoon, Gabe was released; his foot bandaged and a large figure-eight brace on his back holding his clavicles into a perfect position so his shoulders were spread out. His injuries would heal without surgery, thankfully. Now he had to determine if he should risk going to retrieve Willow now and risk her safety or wait for his injuries to heal like his father specified. It was so confusing as to why Joker would want weeks of time between the confrontation...

* * *

Willow screamed herself hoarse hours ago and was now lying on the floor, her hands bound and a long rope tied to the ceiling. Right now the rope was slack but there was nothing she could do to untie it. Her mouth had been covered in duct tape, otherwise she'd have bitten the threads little by little until she was free.

She was huddled in a corner of the cold room, trying to stay warm. It must have been a warehouse, judging by the metallic scent lingering about.

She cried many times and found herself devoid of tears now. She also worried about Gabe and what those two henchmen did to him. Did they defy their boss and kill him? Joker was capable of anything and why did he leave her alive? So many questions...

It was nearly nightfall again and the room was getting colder. Her teeth were chattering and she was shivering very badly. Around this time, the door to the room burst open and those two giant henchmen stepped inside. One of them approached her and began fiddling with the rope on the ceiling. The other one easily scooped her up and carried her off the moment she was separated from the ceiling. Her body was too cold and weak to fight back. Then they were outside where the freezing air hit her like a sack of bricks. Her jacket did little to protect her from the icy rain that was falling.

Eventually the thug carried her into a large motorhome where the heat had been turned on and she could smell cinnamon wafting as she entered. She was dropped into a booth with a table before her. A small spread of food and dishes were placed before her by the henchmen, confusing her. Then the two men exited the trailer, closing the door tightly so the heat stayed in. Willow contemplated digging through the small kitchenette for a knife to undo her bonds. It was her best option. Cutting the ropes and squeezing through the tiny window above the table would be the fastest means of escape. She carefully peeled the duct tape off her lips with her fingers and breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to get up for that knife when she saw the door to the back bedroom of the trailer open and out came a familiar crime clown.

"Hello there angel-face. Glad to see you can join me at such a late hour and for dinner no less," Joker said. He looked over the shivering girl, "Why you look a bit chilly. Let me take your coat, it's soaked." Joker then retrieved a knife from his jeans pocket and approached her.

She flinched and tried to back away in the seat but Joker grabbed her elbow and pulled her to her feet. He sliced away at the ropes, allowing them to fall to the floor. Then he peeled off her wet coat and draped it over the passenger seat in the cab.

"Remember, I'm the one with the knife and my men are posted at the door. You make any attempt to flee and this blade will be in your belly." Joker grinned at her, "Sit."

Willow took his warning seriously and found herself seated again at the table while the clown was busy with pulling out two mugs from a cupboard. She watched him intently as he poured hot water from the kettle on the miniature stove and added tea bags to the cups. Then he joined her at the table, sitting in the booth opposite of her. He placed a mug down for her, but she didn't touch it.

"That'll warm you up angel-face." Joker picked up his mug and sipped the hot liquid, clearly trying to show her that he didn't tamper with her mug. Willow had a difficult time believing it though and so he picked up her cup and took a small drink from it, "See? Now have some."

She couldn't deny that she was thirsty but her hands hands were still frozen. So instead, she placed both of them around the mug, letting them soak up a lot of the heat radiating from the porcelain.

"Still cold huh? Well, that'll change soon." It was obvious he was trying to coax her into talking. "Talk to me angel-face..."

She stared at him, taking in his facial features. Those beady yellow pupils and red backdrop were frightening enough, but the black rims enhanced the horror. At least when she looked at Gabriel, she could see the softness in his face and his friendliness made him less frightening. Joker was pure evil...

Not wanting to anger him, she opened her mouth to speak, "W-what do...w-want with me?" she asked. Her sentence was broken up by her chattering.

"Why...you're my guest deary. I'd be a lousy host if I left you in that warehouse to freeze."

"Did you...k-kill Gabe?" she immediately brought up.

"Course not. That would ruin the joke now wouldn't it?"

"J-joke?"

He took another lengthy drink from his mug before grabbing up his fork to pick at the food on the table. He started with a slice of turkey and piled a few veggies on his plate. "You must be hungry seeing as you haven't eaten all day."

"Why are you being s-so nice to me? And y-you didn't say...what you m-meant by 'joke'."

"Ah...wanting to get straight to the point. Have a few bites and I'll elaborate." He wound up scooping some of the food onto her plate for her when her hands were still too cold to pick anything up. She still wouldn't eat or drink. "Do I have to force-feed you?"

She quickly shook her head and carefully picked up her fork and impaled a piece of carrot before biting it. He stomach was screaming to be fed anyways and relaxed once she swallowed the morsel. Then it couldn't be helped, she took a larger forkful and shoveled them into her mouth.

"I'm glad to see your appetite isn't lost." Joker then joined her in eating to his heart's content until they both emptied their plates.

Willow leaned back in her booth, sighing now that her belly was full. Her body was warming up and she felt better. Her tea was cooled down enough for her to drink it. She enjoyed its simple raspberry flavor, but didn't show any emotion to Joker about that fact.

He'd finished his drink as well, "So, shall we then?"

"Hm?"

"You wanted to know why I brought you here right? And my little joke..."

She nodded nervously. This couldn't be good.

"You aren't bait, that's for sure. But I am planning to use you for a long term 'project'."

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"My son does have good taste, doesn't he? He can thank me for that."

She was growing irritated, "Will you stop beating around the bush!"

"Pushy girl...I like that. Alright then angel-face, I'll fill you in. My son is a complete failure as my protege. I'd have hoped my raising him from a child would change that pitiful personality of his to a cold-blooded criminal like me. But no...he had to hang on to his precious memories and his mother's ridiculous ethics and morals. Not even his little trip to the factory could cure him of that. So what's a madman to do now? Well it's obvious I need to obtain another sidekick to carry on my noble work."

"And I suppose that's where I come in? Well, sorry to burst your balloon, but I am not going to turn to a life of crime!" She scooted out of the booth and backed away towards the cab.

Joker laughed heartily and slid out of his seat as well and slowly moved towards her, "You are too much angel-face! Why in the world would I want you for that? You're much past the point of training for that sort of life. I'd be fighting you tooth and nail!" He closed in on her. Willow raised her hand against him in an attempt to smack him away but he caught her wrist and spun her around. Her arm was painfully twisted into her back. If he wrenched it, it could cause a break. "I did this to my son once when he misbehaved and told me to 'Fuck Off'. I broke his arm for that. Do you want the same?"

She gasped and shook her head.

"Didn't think so." He then brought his other hand to her throat, "Yes...my son does have good taste..." He touched her fleshed and allowed his hand to wander down to her chest, just inches above her breasts. His face was centimeters from her ear and he breathed in her scent. A lovely peach and vanilla...

She cringed at his closeness and begged that Gabe would come for her. She continued to listen to Joker's words.

"I don't want you for a life of crime angel-face. Wouldn't it be interesting for me to injure my son in the worst way possible? Not by breaking his body...but by mentally torturing him for eternity. And to do that, I'm going to need to start fresh..." His hand sunk down even lower, brushing against her clothed bosom and further still until it reached the hem of her blouse. "I'll need to start younger this time if I'm going to have a new protege...one that won't have any sentimentality." That hand traveled underneath her shirt and down the front of her jeans until it settled right over her womb, "I need this..."

Tears were pouring down her cheeks. She didn't like being touched this way. It reminded her of her ex-boyfriend and how horrible he'd been to her. She never told Gabe why she had a restraining order against the bastard. But having been a victim of domestic violence tended to keep women from speaking up. She felt the dread and fear rising up once again. This clown wanted her to conceive for him, to produce an heir for his agenda...

"No!" she cried out and struggled against him.

He held her tightly, "You're a great candidate toots! My son's little girlfriend! I couldn't choose a better person for the job!" He then tightened his grip and pulled her away from the cab; pushing her towards the back bedroom. "Can you imagine the look on my boy's face when he finds out!" Joker cheered, "And just think! By the time he does find out, it'll be too late. When his wounds heal and he comes for you, you should already be-"

His sentence was cut short when she elbowed him in the stomach with her other arm. For a moment, he had the wind knocked out of him, but he never lost his grip on her.

"You like it rough I see. I'll be happy to oblige!" Joker said and he shoved her into the back, closing the door and watching as she huddled into a corner. He slipped off his shirt and tossed it aside before sitting down on the mattress. He prepared for this and kept a pair of handcuffs underneath one of the pillows.

She noticed that he had his back to her and this might be her chance to sneak out and climb through that small window. The chances were slim, but she would take them. She rose to her feet and slowly walked around the bed while he busied himself. She made it three steps before she heard...

"Don't even think about it," he said casually and he stood up.

She rushed for the door, but couldn't even lay a finger on the latch before he grabbed her and threw her on the bed, stomach down. He sat on top of her and held firmly to her arm while he cuffed it. Then he rolled her over and secured her other arm by wrapping the cuffs around a bedpost. She kicked at him but didn't accomplish much since her legs were pinned. With her arms outstretched overhead he sat on her stomach and grasped the top of her blouse and ripped apart the material.

"Stop it!" she screamed and writhed beneath him. She didn't like having his eyes on her...

"What the hell is this?" Joker asked, mesmerized by what he was seeing. He peered down at her belly and saw horrific scarring all over her torso. He smiled. "So, a victim of violence? What happened angel-face?"

Willow sniffled and couldn't control her tears, "My ex..."

"What a tragic injury. Burns. These look like they hurt..." He ran his fingers down a particularly long patch of disfigured skin along her ribcage.

She remembered how angry her ex was with her and how he grabbed a teapot full of boiling water and threw it at her. The pot practically melted her flesh and the hot water just added to the devastation. That was the first time she called the police and had him arrested. Shortly after a stay in the hospital, she broke off contact with him, but he always managed to come crawling back when he was released for 'good behavior'.

Joker's fingers traveled down to her jeans and he yanked the button apart. "Looks like cosmetic damage. I assume everything on the inside still works..."

"Please don't do this to me!"

"C'mon angel-face. I'm not that bad, really!" Joker teased. "In time, you will learn to like it, I promise!" He scooted towards the foot of the mattress and pulled down her jeans. Her shredded shirt was easily pulled out from under her. She kicked her feet at him but he caught her ankles and pushed them down into the bed, separating them. He knelt between her knees, pressing his lower body against hers and slipped his hands underneath her torso for the clasp of her bra. He fumbled with it until it separated.

"Whoops! Should have taken this off before I locked up your hands. Oh well, we'll just shred this too!" He tore apart the elastic straps and threw the bra aside. His eyes lingered on her lovely soft mounds as his hands darted for them. "What a rack. Very nice." He roughly squeezed them, making her beg for him to stop again. "I like it when you plead angel-face. You're making me so fucking horny..." he said and started placing kisses along her chest while his hands were busy massaging her breasts and pinching the erect nipples.

Her mind was a thousand miles away thinking about Gabe's safety and hoping that he would come and take her away from all this. She knew the Joker was a bastard but she didn't expect him to sink this low.

"What's the matter dearest? By this time most women are submissive, not sad. Why the long face?" he asked, pretending to sound concerned. He continued to torment her while he waited for a response. He brought his face down to her chest and licked the underside of her left mound.

She finally grew enough courage to say, "How could such a cold and heartless bastard like you have raised such a sweet and caring son! I'm trying to understand this!"

"The kid was screwed up to begin with. Like every other parent we can only try and hope for the best!" Joker laughed.

"Or maybe you just suck at it!"

"Are you trying to piss me off? Cause it's working..." Joker growled and he reached for her neck; wrapping his fingers around it tightly. His fingers pressed into her windpipe, partially cutting off her breath.

"G-abe!"

"He's not coming for you if he knows what's good for him. I'm not afraid to drag my little knife across that beautiful neck. If I see him, I won't hesitate angel-face."

Willow gasped and pulled against her bonds but it was no use. They were so tight and cutting off circulation to her wrists. Moments later she felt the madman's fingers hooking around her panties and yanking them off. He pushed her legs apart, ignoring her screams and forcing two fingers into her.  
"Hm...not wet. You're a stubborn one." He could resort to using his spores to help seduce her, but where was the fun in doing that all the time? He backed away from her, avoiding her flailing legs. "But I'm game!" He then rolled off the bed and stepped out of the bedroom for a moment.

She wondered what he was doing when she heard shuffling out in the kitchen and the closing of a cabinet. Joker came back in the room carrying something. It looked like a bottle of dish soap.

"Such a shame..." Joker said.

"Huh?"

"I was thinking that it's such a shame my son would choose a very pretty girl, but was incapable of getting aroused. What a boring sex life he'll have."

Without really thinking she blurted out, "Maybe you have performance issues!" She then wanted to curl up into a ball, hoping he wouldn't kill her for that comment. The room remained eerily silent...

The next thing she knew, her legs were grabbed and forced apart again while Joker's heavy body pressed against it. He was in her face and snarling, "Young lady, I was planning to be nice and treat you well but you just can't keep that big mouth shut! Now I'm going to forgo pleasuring you and just take what I want!" He sat back up and reached for the bottle on the mattress next to him. But it wasn't soap, which Willow expected it to be. It was olive oil. He didn't bother with completely removing his jeans and only undid the button and pushed them down his thighs a bit. He had the beginnings of an erection but it would need stimulating. With the oil in hand, he popped the lid and poured a bit on his length before smoothing it out. "It really does work." Once he had a good coating on himself, he trickled a bit of the oil on her and started rubbing it all over her thighs and labia. His fingers dipped inside her folds every now and again to moisten up the inside.

Her knees were trying to clamp together but he held them off as he tossed the bottle aside. His erection was now throbbing and begging for attention as he lined himself up with her folds.

"Let's see if you're good enough for my son..." he said cruelly before forcing his way into her body.

She cried heavily when she felt herself being stretched to capacity. Even with the oil, she still felt an awful friction with each new thrust. She screamed and cried through all forty-five torturous minutes until Joker finally released and pumped her full of seed. Her spirit was broken and she hoped that Gabe would forgive her...

He slid out of her body, tired and ready to take a nap. "That was hard work angel-face! I think I like it better when my partner is more cooperative. Anyways, maybe you'll think twice before opening that beautiful mouth again because next time I'll shove something in it. And be ready tomorrow, because we'll be fucking again. Maybe you'll want to put forth some effort, otherwise it'll be painful." He dragged himself off the mattress and buttoned his jeans before collecting his shirt and leaving.

Willow remained on the bed in shock and very depressed. She hadn't felt this low since her ex-boyfriend raped her. Her thoughts were spiraling and she couldn't focus. Would Gabe really come for her?

_To be continued..._


	39. Chapter 36

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 36

Behind Enemy Lines

Gabe held back another groan as a sharp pain ripped through his collar. He wanted so badly to take a double dose of Vicodin but the pharmacist warned against it and so he suffered. Having no place to go to, he would have to settle in an extended stay at a hotel.

It was nearly midnight by the time he booked a room at a Super 8. It wasn't his typical nice hotel but who cared at an hour like this? He wanted to sleep so badly. The entire first half of his night was spent worrying and rolling around to find a comfortable position. All he could do was pray that Willow wasn't injured or worse...

There was no possibility of sleep. The pain was too much and he could only roll out of bed and pace around in the darkness. Even though his senses were muddled, he could feel that something just wasn't right...a trait he picked up from his father.

Gabe held his ground and stared at the window. The curtains were closed but he could see the slightest bit of movement from behind the thin fabric. He had nothing to defend himself with nor was he very stable on his feet at the moment. His intuition was right when a large man dressed in black burst through the glass, taking the curtains down with him. Several more figures leapt in afterwards and in an instant Gabriel was surrounded.

"What do you want?" Gabe asked harshly, preparing to defend himself if he had to. Of course, six versus one were not good odds. Six long blades were drawn and pointing at him.

"You are to come with us villain!" the largest figure demanded and he approached cautiously until the tip of his blade brushed against Gabe's jaw. "You are injured and outnumbered. I suggest you come quietly."

"Right now...is not a good time for me," Gabe replied, his temper beginning to flare.

"Then we will force you to come." The large figure then lunged at Gabe, who dodged the sword swing and rushed for the door.

Gabe couldn't fight all of these guys, so it was best to escape. He never got very far as several pairs of hands took his shoulders, arms, and legs and simply lifted him off the floor. He shouted obscenities as one of the bastards squeezed his shoulder too hard and caused his break to ache. They carried him off into the parking lot where he was shoved into the slushy snow and something was jammed into his neck, a syringe of some sort. His limbs grew heavy and his lids drooped. The assailants waited until he stopped twitching to stuff him inside a black minivan and filed in afterwards.

It wasn't until early morning that Gabe awoke and found his arms tied behind his back with thick rope and his feet restrained with cuffs and chains along the edges of the mattress. He sat up and studied his surroundings, trying not to fall over with dizziness from the drug. It was what looked like another hotel room...how original.

"Ah!" he gasped as he felt his shoulder suddenly wrench itself. He saw that the brace he wore was gone. "Shit..." His collar was still aligned but who knows for how long. Another trip to the emergency room was the last thing he wanted since hearing his bones crunch back into place. He slowly lay back down and dealt with the agonizing pain, knowing his pills wore off long ago.

He remained still for another twenty minutes before the door opened and one of the assailants stepped inside. Gabe watched as they wandered over to the side of the bed, sword drawn and pointing to his chin.

"I've finally found you..." the assassin said casually. He was hooded and speaking through a scrambler.

"Pardon?"

"It's been a long time hasn't it? I see you've gotten a new look since your little heist the other night. If you're going to change your identity, you'll need to put in a little more effort than that. Of course...I don't think there's anything you can do to improve your hideous face."

"Do I know you?"

There was an unusual silence. Gabe could sense their irritation and watched his captor take his hood off. It was a woman with skin as pale as his and white hair. She also had dead grey eyes.

"Unbelievable. You've actually forgotten me."

"Ma'am, I've never met you before."

"Bullshit! You and I have a long history togeth-" She paused, "Wait a sec...you've never called me ma'am before." She crawled onto the mattress until she was face to face with him. Her intense gaze was making him uncomfortable and she did something completely unexpected.

Gabe nearly had a heart attack when her mouth connected with his and he pulled away just as quick. "What the? I don't kiss on a first date lady!" he said surprisingly and turned his head to the side.

His eyes said it all and she climbed off him, "You look like him..." she said in a low whisper.

"Are you referring to the Joker?" Gabe asked.

The woman's eyes lit up and she grinned, "Why yes...know him?"

"I...uh..."

Her interest was peaked and she returned to her position of sitting on top of him. Her thighs on either side of his belly, "Does this bother you? Me sitting like this?" She leaned in, her lips nearly touching his again. She dropped her sword long ago and he found that her hands were now trailing down his stomach...so close to his belt.

"Madam! If you don't mind, I'd like it if you'd stop!"

That stopped her wandering hands and she finally got off the bed entirely, "It's confirmed, you aren't him. The bastard would have taken full advantage of the situation. Plus he wouldn't have gotten caught so easily. So tell me...who are you?"

On of his eyebrows rose up. "I don't think I'm obligated to telling you." Seconds later, a sword was at his throat.

"Wrong answer. You have one more chance or I'll slit your throat."

The cold steel pressed against his flesh and he felt he had to spill the details otherwise Willow would suffer under his father's wrath for a long time. "Alright, I'll tell you whatever you want. But I want to know who you are and your relationship to the Joker as well."

"An even trade. Fine then. What is your name?"

"Gabriel Johnston and you are?"

"My name is Noel. But you will call me Seven. So Gabriel, what is your relation to the Joker?"

"The Joker is my father and how is it that you know of him?"

Seven smiled and paced around the bed, "It's a long, long story. I hope you're ready for it." This was good. She had the Joker's son and was ready to use him to her full advantage at getting the Joker in her clutches. Gaining his trust was the first step. "It started over two decades ago when I was falsely accused..."

* * *

Willow cried and begged the Joker to back off. She had suffered aches and pains all night from their first romp and now he was at it again and tugging on her legs to separate them.

"Angel-face, this would be so much easier if you'd just calm down!" Joker shouted and he dug his fingernails into her thighs but she just kept it up. Her feet were thrashing about and he'd lost the last bit of his patience. In a flash he crawled up her body and grabbed onto her head, holding it steady between his palms. He blew a dark pink cloud in her face. At first it appeared as though it didn't work but she slowly succumbed to the toxins. Her eyes were cloudy and she parted her lips to take steady, rhythmic breaths.

It was safe for him to take off her restraints and he climbed to his hands and knees in order to reach her cuffs. He removed the key from his pocket and while he worked to unwrap the cuffs from the bedpost, he felt the tiniest flutter of lips pressing against his chest, making him smile. The cuffs were free of the post and her wrists, allowing them to fall to her sides. Even though her flesh was swollen from the metal digging into her, she ignored the injuries and almost immediately grasped for his shoulders. He wasn't surprised and let her cling to him, her fingers threading through his hair and her legs voluntarily opened, letting him slide against her core.

"That's my angel..." Joker breathed as he captured her lips with his. Their mouths fit perfectly together and he rammed his tongue down her throat, with no complaints from her. His hands busied themselves by running up and down her scarred torso and occasionally settling on her breasts to squeeze and toy with her nipples. She was ripping away at his shirt and her nails raked along his back, leaving reddened marks. He arched his back with every scrape, enjoying the sensation while his tongue wrestled with hers. He kneaded and squashed her chest until she began whispering her utmost desires which he was so willing to fulfill.

Joker let his hands slide down to her stomach and they spread apart so each wrapped around either side of her waist. Then he separated their lips and began traveling down to her throat to lay more kisses. He picked a spot just below her jaw, to the left of her right ear and started sucking harshly until a deep purply-red splotch appeared. "That'll last a few days..." he said proudly before moving even further down her breastbone. He focused on her left nipple and promptly bit down on it, drawing a trace amount of blood around its edges.

She cried out her displeasure but within seconds she was swimming in a pool of bliss again when he began to suck.

Her blood pooled in his mouth and he remembered how good it was to swallow the spoils of 'love'. The warm liquid streamed down the back of his throat and he pushed for more, sucking her tit dry. The blood was starting to clot and he released her, happy to have downed at least a few teaspoonfuls. He wiped away some of the plasma sliding down his chin and continued his journey down her belly. Further and further still...until he passed her burns and saw the tops of her hip bones. He planted a kiss on each before pushing her legs apart even more and diving between her thighs. That hot tongue of his impaled her folds and licked around the entire length of her slit. She screamed with intensity as he plundered her depths, pushing her even further until she gave up her treasure. She orgasmed with fury when his tongue trailed along the roof of her canal and his thumb teased and rubbed her clit. But he didn't let up on her. He continued torturing her until she was practically begging him to fuck her.

Stripping off his jeans and boxers was a two second job and he plunged his swollen length into her. He could feel the back of her vagina with every hard thrust. She was a perfect fit, accommodating his every inch and this time she was soaked without the aid of oil.

"Oh fuck, angel..." Joker growled as he pushed into her again, enjoying her body heat and how it licked his throbbing length, embracing him...punishing him...

Sweat poured down his brow and arms, making his skin glisten. He was working pretty hard but not like the previous night where he was fighting against a dry friction with a shallow coat of oil. It didn't compare to the real deal. A woman's fluids were unmatched. He pounded harder, racing to the finish line but she got there first. She thrashed against him as her second orgasm hit and it was all he needed to come. Several seconds went by before Joker slowly pulled out of her and this time he enjoyed the view of his pale colored semen slowly trickle from her pussy. Then he fell back against the mattress, out of breath and ready for a nap.

"At this rate...I think you'll be knocked up within the month," Joker said between breaths. He placed his hand on her belly and rubbed it, "For luck..." he said and chuckled.

Willow was slowly coming back to total awareness and her look of pleasure turned to despair. The entire time she felt ashamed. She wasn't able to resist any of his advances and chastised herself for allowing her body to respond so favorably to him.

Joker could hear the girl making tiny noises and sniffles in sheer sadness. The spores were wearing off and he could sense her beginning to sit up. He would need to cuff those hands of hers before she got any ideas. He found the handcuffs lying on the floor near the wall and picked them up before sliding onto the head of the mattress and grabbing one of her wrists. It was rubbed so raw her skin was now bleeding and turning an assortment of colors. They would need treating soon or they'd become infected and he needed her to be in perfect health. To keep her from injuring herself or trying to escape, he breathed a cloud of green around her and put her into a deep trance.

He got up and left the back room for the trailer's tiny bathroom. There was a first aide kit in the cabinet.

When he returned, she was exactly in the same position as he left her and he sat down to her right. It was time to treat those wounds.

* * *

"So that's basically it." Gabe finished relaying his entire life's story for what seemed the millionth time lately.

They spent nearly half the day discussing their connections to Joker. Gabe never realized that Seven lied to him about at least seventy percent of her story. He didn't need to know the gory details of her multiple rapes and her return from the dead. Gabriel was her only link to finding the crime clown.

Seven was watching him intently, "So your girlfriend was taken. There's a really high likelihood that he's abusing her. So what do you plan to do?"

"I have to go after her but I can't. I know my father too well. If I set foot in that warehouse before my injuries heal, I might as well be holding Willow's head underwater."

"So you're saying your actions will determine her fate and you're willing to subject your girlfriend to Joker's torments for an extended period of time?"

"No, no...that's not it. Well I mean-"

Seven's eyebrow raised slightly, "You are certainly different from your father. You can't make decisions well, your confidence is very low, and you don't seem to have any skills in fighting. Did Joker keep you locked in a room your whole life?"

"Not really. I've fought before, but they were just petty arguments."

"Have you ever mouthed off with Joker."

"Once...err twice now. This is a result." He pointed to his collarbone and flinched. "The other time he busted my arm. I haven't popped off since."

Seven didn't really say much and the tiniest bit of sympathy briefly settled on her shoulders. She remembered how helpless she'd felt in the beginning. It took a lot of training from her lover, Ra's Al Ghul, to bring her out of her shell. She's been fighting for years and her confidence in her ability was very high. Still she needed to to use Gabe's knowledge for her organization's benefit. "What if I said I could help you recover your girlfriend?"

"You could? How?"

"I'll provide transport for you and your girlfriend when you escape and I'll allow you the use of my soldiers. Plus you need medical treatment. After my boys picked you up, they may have injured you in the process."

"I'd like my brace back."

"Very well." Seven retrieved the brace from the nearby table and approached the bed. She sliced away the ropes and handed it to him. "Now then, would you like our help?"

"What's the catch? I know you'll want some sort of payment."

"I want to bring the Joker to justice for his past crimes and there's quite a few of them. You are my link young man. Joker will never be able to hurt anyone ever again."

Gabriel thought about it for a few minutes, "So you're looking to put away my father as long as I cooperate. Alright then. As long as Willow is safe, I'll accept your offer." He slipped the brace over his shirt, ignoring the pain of stretching his collar and adjusted the straps. "I need my Vicodin."

"Then you're in luck, we also took that with us." Seven smiled and she produced a small prescription bottle from the pouch on her belt. She tossed it into his lap.

"You know my father won't go quietly. He's also escaped Arkham hundreds of times."

"The new Arkham has excellent security features. There's no way he'll be able to break out again."

"You guarantee there'll be no harm brought to Willow?"

Seven extended her hand, "That is a promise and my organization never breaks them. It is a matter of honor. We will not bring harm to your girlfriend."

Gabe took her hand and shook it.

"Very good, shall we then?" Seven asked as she began undoing the cuffs on his feet, "We have a lot of planning and you specified that he won't kill her unless you show up early."

"Right."

"Good, then come with me. I will put you through a short training regime for the next month. You need to learn how to fight, especially with an injury. Please follow me and my men and I will begin."

Seven led the way out of the room. It wasn't a hotel room as Gabe thought, but someone's home.

"Relax, this is only a temporary setting. We'll be leaving long before the family returns from their vacation."

"You broke into someone's-"

"Don't worry about it. We have respect for the private citizen's home and nothing will be taken, not that you should be concerned."

Gabe felt a little sheepish questioning her. He had stolen millions of dollars worth of assorted items in the past. He followed Seven into the hallway, "So why Seven?"

"It's a lucky number. No more questions, we have work to do," Seven said and the two of them continued along until they reached the front door of the house. When they stepped outside, Seven's comrades were waiting for them, swords drawn in case Gabe had any ideas. "At ease," Seven said and raised her hand.

The six assailants bowed to their leader and began removing their head gear. Seven approached the smallest of all the soldiers. "Gabriel, I'd like you to meet my lieutenant."

Gabe waited for the lieutenant to remove his headpiece but was surprised again to see another female. This girl had long brown hair and deep brown eyes with an olive skin tone. "Lieutenant? She's only a-"

"Teenager, I know. Fourteen actually. Gabriel this is my daughter Anya. She is the most successful student to ever be trained under Ghul. She outranks even our elites, but is one step below commander."

"Which is you?" Gabe asked.

"No, I am a general. We have no commander at this time, but that may change soon." She patted Anya on the shoulder. "All soldiers answer to me and I only receive orders from Ghul himself."

Anya's face remained calm, yet cold. She nodded slightly to acknowledge Gabriel's presence.

"I am assigning Anya to you for training. Do not be fooled by her age or small stature. She can be lethal." Seven smirked.

Gabriel allowed the soldiers to escort him away while Seven and Anya led. In the back of his mind, a twinge of guilt was lingering. He was going to save Willow at any cost...even if it meant betraying his father. 

* * *

"There we go. All bandaged up."

Joker was quite pleased with his work. Willow's wrists were no longer bleeding and wrapped with clean bandages. She would be fine. Afterwards he placed her arms on her belly and left her alone for a while. She wouldn't be dumb enough to try and escape anytime soon, not with Punch and Judy guarding the windows. He slowly closed the door to the back bedroom and had a seat in the cab. He wondered how long the process would take and if she would get knocked up this month or the next. It was a guessing game, but as long as it happened before Gabriel's return, then he completed his greatest joke.

_To be continued..._


	40. Chapter 37

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 37

Given Up

"You need to keep your balance. Why are your feet so close together?"

In an instant Gabriel separated his feet, "Sorry. Clumsiness runs on one side of my family."

"Clumsiness will get you killed!" Anya shouted and she swung a metal rod at him, slamming it against his. "It'll be harder to knock you down if your feet are a comfortable distance apart. Didn't your father ever show you how to fight?"

"Not really, I kind of learned by watching him. I think he avoided teaching me anything like that in order to control me."

She attacked once again, leaping at him and swinging her rod towards his head, which he blocked. However he didn't anticipate the blow to his stomach with her foot and he tumbled over. "That ends our lesson for today," she said sternly. She didn't assist Gabe to his feet and took her place next to her mother, whom was watching the lesson.

It had been six weeks since Willow was taken.

"In such a short period of time, I believe this will be the best we can offer," Anya said, "He's a slow learner."

"Nonsense," Seven replied and stepped forward, "He's made incredible progress over the past month. I think he would be able to handle himself in a skirmish. You just have ridiculous standards."

Anya scowled but held her tongue.

"Not everyone is as gifted as you are. Plus you have several years of experience. Gabe's talents fall in stealth, lock-picking, breaking codes-" Seven paced around him, "Explosives, chemical compounds, electrical wiring-" She stopped when she was standing directly in front of him, "And charm..."

Gabe looked lost.

"Whether you know it or not, you have an aura surrounding you that screams to women. They'll flock to your feet and then likely run away when they get a good look at your face." The comment obviously irritated him.

Anya laughed loudly for a moment but shut her mouth when Seven drew her sword and pointed it at the teenager. Seven cleared her throat and remembered that she shouldn't insult the only person who may know of Joker's whereabouts. "My apologies. The Joker and I go way back and some memories are less pleasant than others."

"I sometimes wonder about your history with my father. Have you left out something?" Gabe asked. "There has to be more than just knowing him at Arkham. You have a vendetta against him?"

"Like I've told you, my organization puts criminals behind bars. We haven't been able to find Joker and after his little escapade on tv, we're determined to catch him before he destroys Gotham all over again. We can't allow a potentially prosperous city to be brought back down."

Gabe expected her to continue but she said nothing more and he shook his head. Then he followed Seven and Anya out of the training facility. Ra's Al Ghul was waiting for them in his study. Now that a large amount of time has passed, they would enact their plan of action and find the crime clown.

* * *

She barely touched her food and her mood was dreadful...

Willow had been kept trapped in the trailer for seven weeks and she was under immense stress. She was desperate to go outside for fresh air. Her family must have been panicking and trying to reach her. Typically she would have been celebrating the holidays with her family, but now it was the beginning of February. There was no chance she would have gotten her nursing job and likely missed the recruiter's phone call. She probably lost her job at Red Lobster as well.

Everything was falling apart and her life was ruined.

"Don't look so miserable angel-face. Eat something," Joker said through a mouthful of spaghetti. He winked at her but she just continued staring at her full plate.

Every day for the past month it was the same for her. Punch or Judy would cater to her needs while Joker was out.

The same routine...wake up, breakfast, more waiting, lunch, then Joker would join her for dinner. And almost every night he would force her to the back room so he could bed her. Then immediately afterwards he would drag her into the tiny bathroom and take a shower with her. She was not allowed outside and forced to get any exercise within the confines of the trailer. Walking was about it. Her clothes being shredded; she only had sheets or towels to wrap up in.

"What's the matter? Not hungry?" Joker asked and he put down his fork. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and waited for her response. She only sat still and remained silent, much to his annoyance. "C'mon honey, I'm not going to wait all night..."

"No," she whispered.

One of his eyebrows arched and he cracked a smile as he watched her push her plate away and instead pick up her glass of water. She sipped from it several times, avoiding his gaze. He quickly gathered his dishes and dropped them into the sink before taking her dish and putting it aside. Then he wandered to the front of the trailer to the cab and fetched his trench coat, pulling something from one of the pockets. He tossed whatever it was onto the table in front of her.

Willow picked up the small box and read the label. First Response. She dropped it back on the table and pushed it away as well. She was going to go straight back to bed and rest so she slid out of her seat to stand. However the moment she did, the barrel of a pistol was pointing in her face and she froze.

"Don't play around with me angel-face. I want you in that bathroom taking that test in one minute or I'm going to be finding a new girl to get the job done," Joker threatened and he signaled her with the gun to get moving, while he collected the box. She slowly backed herself towards the bathroom, keeping her eyes on that pistol.

Joker switched on the overhead light and he shoved his weapon into the waistband of his jeans and out of her reach. He ripped open the box and handed one of the packages to her. Then he leaned against the doorway.

She gave him a funny look.

"I'm not risking you tampering with that. Do it," he demanded. He crossed his arms and waited for her to take it.

With sheer embarrassment, Willow lifted the sheet away from her lower body and sat down on the toilet. Then she tore open the small package with her teeth and removed the stick and set of instructions. It was very straightforward and she removed the cap from the test before looking at Joker again. She had his full attention and she frowned. A bit of pink spread across her cheeks when she placed the stick between her legs and started to urinate. She only had to hold it there for a few seconds and took it away to place on the sink. It was impossible to stop relieving herself so she finished up and washed her hands, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible.

But Joker halted her with a palm to her chest, "Don't you want to see the results?" He grabbed her by the waist and spun her around so they both faced the sink. He planted his hands on her lower belly and started to rub while his face lowered to her shoulder and he kissed the side of her neck.

She cringed and felt herself praying that the results would be negative. Her hopes were dashed when the window on the stick revealed two lines and her legs wobbled.

"Ha! I'm a good shot angel-face! Well, congratulations!" Joker shouted and he held her upright when she nearly lost her balance. "So...wanna celebrate? I saved a bottle of sparkling cider, just for you..."

"No." She sighed. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she wanted to bury herself under a rock.

"Awe...okay angel. Why don't we just put you to bed." He then scooped her up and carried her into the back room to put her on the bed. She didn't move much, even when Joker crawled onto the mattress with her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hands were secured around her belly, holding firmly but gently.

She couldn't fight him if she wanted to. Her body was exhausted and she felt light-headed so she just rest her head on a pillow and closed her eyes. Dreams were nonexistent. It wasn't until morning that she awoke violently and had a massive dizzy spell. She fell back over; her hands flew up to her head to stop the room from spinning and she groaned. A set of warm hands landed on her shoulders and started massaging them. She would have loved it if those hands belonged to Gabe and she attempted to shrug them off. But they held their place, kneading away at her.

"Relax angel. I don't need you stressing."

"You're too late for that, weeks overdue!" she snapped at him.

Joker sat up, "Fine then, I'll make you relax." He then harshly grabbed her shoulder and turned her over. Her head was thrashing back and forth and her hands were pushing against him. He laid down on top of one of her arms and held the other. She was struggling too much to capture her mouth.

"Stop it!" she screamed and turned her head away from him, knowing that he intended to put her under.

With his other hand, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Her lips were tightly held together and they were not separating for him no matter what he tried.

Joker rolled his eyes, "I didn't want to go this route but..."

Willow almost cried out when his hand hovered for a moment over her face but she kept her mouth shut. Then his fingers suddenly clamped down on her nose, pinching it closed. She panicked...

"What will it be angel-face? Suffocation? Or a nice, easy, relaxing, breath of freshly brewed spores?" He was amazed by her resilience and how long she managed to hold her breath.

Her lungs were screaming for air by the time she made it nearly a minute. Not able to hold it any longer, her mouth fell open and she sucked in a much needed breath.

The open mouth meant Joker aimed for the kill and he quickly secured her lips, sending a light dose of pink into her system. She snapped her mouth closed after a few seconds but it was too late and her body fell into a state of calm. Her arms and legs felt heavy and her head was floating.

"So much better." Joker then climbed off her and the bed, "I'm going to get some breakfast. Think you can manage to get some toast down when I get back?" He peered at her and smiled at her lack of response, "I thought you would." Then Joker left her alone intending to go out into the city and do what he does best, steal.

* * *

"I guarantee the second he sees my phone number appear on the caller i.d he will answer. The problem is he might beat around the bush before giving me his location." Gabriel pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "I can try now."

"Shortly, shortly," Ghul said and he patted Seven on the shoulder. He smiled at her.

Gabe watched the pair interact. There was something about them that made him slightly uncomfortable, but he never mentioned anything. They were going to help him get Willow back and he'd assist them at any cost.

Ghul continued, "It's necessary that we keep this conflict outside the city and only send our top fighters. Gabriel, you will confront your father alone to bargain for Willow's life. If that should fail, Seven and Anya will intercept the girl from Joker. The two of them will be able to handle him."

"My father isn't easy to subdue."

Seven stepped forward, "Trust me kid, I know the clown well enough to-"

"Don' worry about the details Gabriel. They can handle him," Ghul reassured him, "Make your call and get the location."  
Butterflies were spiraling around in Gabe's stomach as he scrolled through his contacts and dialed Willow's phone number. If his father was as intelligent as he always boasted, then he would have kept Willow's cell phone on hand or at least kept it on a charger wherever he was. Gabriel heard the phone ringing and waited patiently. There was no answer. He tried again but received the same result.

"Keep trying," Seven urged.

Gabriel dialed again. 

* * *

Willow could hear the music of her phone playing in the cab but how could she get to it? She's heard her phone go off so many times but she was always tied to the bed or under the control of Joker or his henchmen when it went off. They ignored it but never turned it off. Joker was expecting Gabriel to try and reach out to Willow so he stole a third party charger from Radioshack and kept it in the cab.

And since they were outside of the city, the signal was not very good so the chance of a police rescue was slim. She tried to move her arms but they were so heavy. The phone rang several times over and she was determined to get to it.

Fighting through the weakness she gripped onto the bedsheets and pulled herself as hard as she could until she managed to flip herself over. Then she kept it up until she rolled off the bed, landing on the carpeting. She barely moved five feet and was already exhausted. Running on determination; she pressed forward, fighting against the relaxing affects of the spores. Every few minutes she stopped for a breather.

It must have been at least forty minutes since she rolled off the bed and the phone stopped ringing long ago. She lie at the base of the passenger seat and knew she would have to sit up to reach the glove box. With all her might she reached up and grasped the magazine pouch on the back of the seat and pulled herself upright into a sitting position. The box was just a few feet away and reachable so she popped the latch. Once the phone was within her grasp, she fell back onto her side and pressed a button to wake up the screen. There was well over two hundred missed calls. There was no time to sort through them and she saw that the last call was from Gabriel's phone.

She needed help and fast. Dialing 911 was her first choice but she was frustrated when she got a poor signal and the phone call dropped before an operator picked up.

"No..." she moaned and fresh tears welled in her eyes.

Next she would try Gabe. If his calls made it through, perhaps hers could reach him too. She hit the call back and pleaded that it would connect. Her spirits skyrocketed when she heard the familiar classic rock music playing from the other end and then...

_"Hello?"_

Willow was elated upon hearing Gabe's voice that she wanted to scream. Her voice was slowed though and weakened, just like her body.

"G-" she muttered.

_"Hello?"_

"Gabe..."

_"Oh my god, Willow is that you?"_ Gabe had shouted in the receiver.

"H...elp..."

_"Willow, did my father hurt you? Can you call for help? Where are you?"_

She tried to respond with a little more clarity, "Trailer...out...side the c-city...help..."

Before she could continue, she heard the door to the trailer burst open and footsteps. A gust of air blew over her and she shivered. The phone slipped from her grasp and to the floor where she could could see it. A set of gloved fingers appeared before her and wrapped around the phone, picking it up. She couldn't see the person but knew in an instant who it was when he spoke.

"Willow isn't home right now, but if you would like to leave a message after the beep-"

_"Where the fuck are you keeping her?"_ Gabriel shouted loud enough for Willow to hear.

"Temper, temper my son," Joker said and he chuckled.

_"Where is she?"_

Joker laughed harder at Gabe's insistence, "You sound so different. More confident. Anyways, I'm going to tell you because I don't want you to miss some big news!"

_"Out with it!"_

This time the clown frowned and pushed his booted foot into Willow's back, making sure not to hurt her. "Fine kiddo. Tomorrow night, come down to GothamMech Material Handling Systems east of the city and I'll be there." Joker then hung up on his son without so much as a goodbye and he peered down at the terrified Willow.

She still couldn't move very well and prayed that the clown wouldn't hurt her.

"So you wanted the party to begin a little sooner. Well I'm not one for spoiling parties so I'll play along." He knelt down next to her. "On another note, I'm very impressed that you managed to crawl out of the back room, sit up, dial a phone, and manage to piss me off while under sedation. I guess I'll just have to keep you tied up at all times." He scooped up her limp body and carried her back to the bed and rewrapped her in the sheet. Then he cuffed her wrists to the headboard. "I think your punishment will be to miss dinner angel-face. It won't kill either of you to skip a meal." He laughed and patted her on the stomach before leaving her alone in the room.

He joined his henchmen outside, "Boys, we have a visitor coming tomorrow..." 

* * *

Annoyed with his father cutting him off so abruptly, Gabe slammed his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket.

"Did you get it?" Seven asked.

Gabe nodded, "Tomorrow night, GothamMech Handling-"

"Ah, the construction company. No surprise. He's always been partial to living with heavy machinery and hazardous waste. We have planning to do, Anya." Seven signaled for her daughter to follow.

As he watched the two women leave, Gabe slowly grew suspicious of their interest in the Joker. He knew Seven went way back with his father, but why was she so determined to catch him herself?

_To be continued..._


	41. Chapter 38

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 38

Edge

Willow cried silently as Joker's pace came to a halt and he groaned his satisfaction as he finished up inside her. He fell on top of her, panting.

"Well at least I don't have to worry about knocking you up!" he laughed as he pulled out of her. He rolled off her and quickly yanked up his pants and strapped his belt in place. He threw on his shirt and immediately dug through a small cubby near the bathroom, pulling a set of clothes out. "Here. put these on. We have a busy day today angel-face!" He tossed the garments onto the bed at her feet.

She sat up and sorted through the pile. It was a pair of men's jeans and an oversized shirt. It would be better than the torn sheet she wrapped herself in for the last few weeks and she felt extremely cold being in her current nude state. While Joker watched her carefully, she slid on the shirt and jeans. Then he tossed her a pair of shoes, forgoing any socks. Everything was much too big

"Quickly now," he insisted and he disappeared momentarily out the door. He returned with her coat and now tucked his pistol into his waistband. He already put on a heavy trench coat and boots. When she finished dressing he grabbed her arms and dragged her to her feet.

She felt disgusting. He never gave her the opportunity to clean up this morning and rushed her into the round of sex. It was as though he would never get a chance to sleep with her again, not that it bothered her. Her skin was sweaty, mostly from him dripping on her. Her neck was moist with saliva and she could feel his seed sliding down her leg, soaking into the jeans. Then Joker put her coat on her shoulders and barked at her to bundle up while he pocketed her phone.

The cold air outside was a welcome change. Even though she nearly froze the instant she stepped outside, she was happy to see the light of day but that light would disappear within the hour as it was already dusk. She had no idea what he was up to.

Joker dragged her across the parking lot and towards one of the many factories while his henchmen followed behind closely. The factory had closed for the evening but it didn't stop Punch from busting a window and disabling the security system before the authorities were alerted.

"Where-" Willow began but her voice trailed off when she caught the scent of powerful chemicals and molten metal. She gagged and nearly fell out of Joker's grasp.

"Whoa angel!" Joker said and held onto her elbow while she hunched over to heave. "The smell isn't that bad is it? Or maybe your sense of smell intensified. How encouraging..." He let go of her arm while she started to retch all over the floor.

"Ugh..." Willow groaned as another heave escaped her. She wouldn't even look at the gross mess on the floor for fear of throwing-up again. She took a few steps back and dropped to her knees on the cold cement, trying to get a grip on reality. Her head was spinning and her stomach flip-flopped. She couldn't help but be sick again.

Even Joker cringed at how much this small girl could cough up. "Well there goes my appetite. Pick her up boys."

Judy gathered up the sick girl and carried her facing away from his torso in case she got sick again. She didn't complain once as they ascended a stairwell to the top floor. Her stomach calmed when they briefly went outside onto the rooftop through a fire escape and then into a new door. They entered a room with machinery all around them, but it wasn't in use. There was also a lot of space at the other end of this storage room.

"Now we wait," Joker commented and he leaned against a trash compactor. He couldn't contain his excitement. It was only a short time before Gabe would find out...

Punch put Willow down on her side. She wouldn't be going anywhere in this condition.

Her arms clenched around her middle to help rub away her dull ache. She kept her eyes closed to stop the spinning and began humming to stay calm. What were they doing here? As she lay on the floor she tried to keep warm by curling up into a ball and rubbing her arms vigorously. The metal scent wafting through the air still lingered, irritating her stomach. She begged to be taken back outside for a few minutes but her plea fell on deaf ears.

For the next hour they waited...

By this time, Willow was freezing and finally Joker caved into her whines and sent Punch to get her a blanket. Once the heavy comforter was draped over her she felt a whole lot better and sat up to lean against the wall. She pulled the blanket tightly around her and tried to stop shivering while she watched Joker pace around the storage.

"I've never known my son to be late for something important. That break must have been worse than I thought." Joker then smiled. "That'll teach him for being-"

Judy had touched Joker's shoulder and pointed to the shadows at the other end of the large room behind the machinery. A tall figure had appeared and stepped into the light. Joker recognized this person's deathly white skin, black hair, and red rimmed eyes.  
"My boy..."Joker said and he approached cautiously. He couldn't deny that something was different about Gabriel. His body language; it carried more confidence and his eyes appeared serious.

"Where is she?" Gabe demanded.

"Getting right down to the point huh?"

"I want her now!"

"Don't we all?" Joker laughed heartily, one palm on his belly to attempt to contain himself.

Gabe gave his father the most unusual look but glanced passed his father and saw the form of someone leaning against a wall. Their body was hidden underneath bedding and he was certain it was Willow. He was about to rush to her but Joker's hand clamped down on his son's shoulder.

"First I need to give you the-" Joker began but Gabe shrugged off his hand.

"I don't care what you have to say! You stole Willow from me and god knows what you did to her because she isn't even reacting to my presence!"

Angered by his son's dismissal, Joker latched onto his son, "You listen to me kid otherwise I'll-"

A heavy strike hit Joker across the jaw, nearly making him spin and catching him by surprise. He had to think for a moment. It was really the first time Gabriel struck him like that...and it actually hurt. He scowled and slowly turned back to face his son, cheek reddened and sore; retaliation nagging at him. "You got real ballsy kiddo..." Joker then started with a swing to Gabe's head, but surprisingly missed when his son dodged. "Picked up a few tips I see!"

"Picked up a lot more than that!" Gabe shouted and he blocked a punch aimed at his stomach. His collarbone ached slightly, but that was typical of a freshly healed injury. Still he needed to be careful. Joker's fist grazed his collar and he narrowly avoided another injury.

"Kid you have nothing on me! You've always been weak and gentle! A flaw on your mother's part!"

Gabe snarled, "Leave my mother out of this! Ever since you came into my life, it's been hell! No wonder why my mother was so depressed in the months before she died! You should have stayed out of the picture!"

"Oh boohoo! So I stepped into your perfect life and brought a little fun into the game! Kid you'd have nothing without me after your mom croaked!" Joker shouted merrily as he struck his son in the shoulder, barely missing the old injury. The clown was purposely aiming for it.  
"How dare you talk about her that way you piece of shit!" Gabe screamed and made a direct hit into Joker's face. His father fell backwards onto the floor and almost as quickly, got right back up again. A large purple bruise was already beginning to form over his left eye.

"Now you've pushed the envelope..." Joker growled and he signaled for his henchmen to interfere.

Punch approved first and swung at Gabriel, whom leapt out of the way and behind a table. Judy was on his heels and smashed the table in two with his fist. Gabe rolled away from flying pieces of wood and metal, avoiding machinery as he moved. The two thugs were trashing everything around them while Joker looked on, happily humming to himself and eventually he wandered over to one of the machines and switched it on, causing the compactor to rumble and crush any waste material within. The steel rods sticking out of the chute slowly moved inwards and were broken down. Gabe couldn't hear his attackers very well now and Judy managed to sneak up from behind and pick him up.

Judy threw him hard into the noisy machine causing poor Gabe to hit his head. It knocked the wind out of the youngster.

"Ah..." Gabe groaned as he rubbed the injured spot just over his left ear and found a small trace of blood on his hand. "Shit." But he had to get up and move quickly because the henchmen were coming at him with assorted metal rods and wood pieces intending to beat the hell out of him. He scrambled to his feet, grabbing a rod off the ground to defend himself. Even though he hoped to be able to solve this problem with his father alone, he knew with those overgrown thugs around the task would be near impossible. He saw Willow hunched over against the wall, with Joker close by and on guard.

Gabriel's surroundings were closed and claustrophobic; he had nowhere to go and only one thought crossed his mind as the henchmen approached. In a nanosecond, Gabe's fingers were to his lips and he whistled.

There was a moment of silence...

A crash followed the eerie pause and glass spilled all around them. Gabe rolled beneath a table as several pairs of feet connected with the ground, startling the henchmen and causing the Joker to gasp.

Several black clad figures had fallen in from the rooftop, all prepared in their fighting stances and swords raised at the ready. The two figures in front stepped forward towards the Joker.

"Your time has come villain! Stand down now and justice will be more lenient!" shouted a female voice.

Joker chuckled, knowing who owned that voice. "Well, well...girly. It's been a while hasn't it?"

Seven removed her hood and scowled at the clown. "You know how I feel about that name you bastard..."

"I like my little pet names," Joker replied, teasing her. "I owe you a death sentence..."

"Just try to get your hands on me!" Seven cried before leaping at him.

"Gladly!" Joker shouted and he pulled the handgun from his waistband and fired it multiple times.

A bullet grazed across Seven's thigh and another actually passed through her upper arm but did not stop her from attacking.

"Got tougher I see!" Joker had to change out the magazine clip, but couldn't get it done fast enough and Seven's foot connected with the side of his head. He was thrust into the wall, nearly dropping his gun. "Punch, Judy! Focus on the others!" Joker shouted as he dove out of the way of Seven's sword. "I'll deal with my son!"

The henchmen accepted their orders and turned their attention to the eight other black figures now charging in towards their boss. Steel rods met with swords and multiple shots were fired from Joker's semiautomatic. It was enough to slow down the assailants so Joker could catch up with his son, who was by Willow's side and shaking her out of her delirium.

"Willow! Wake up! We need to get you out of here!" Gabe cried and he gathered her up in his arms. His father was closing in on them.

"Ugh..." Willow moaned and she blinked.

Happy to see she was conscious, Gabe ran towards the storage room door and pushed his way out, intending to get Willow out of the factory. He found a stairwell to the first floor and descended quickly, ignoring his father's calls and jeers. Upon reaching the bottom floor, Joker was right on his heels and he had no choice but to put Willow down and defend the both of them. They were now in the lobby of the factory.

Gabe put Willow down behind a desk to keep her away from any fighting and he turned around to face his father. "We don't have to do this..."

"Oh son, I didn't have any intention of killing you when you first arrived. In fact, I was going to offer you a second chance but I suppose your actions-"

"What the hell are you talking about? My actions? You stole Willow from me! You let your thugs beat the shit out of me, sending me to the emergency room and you threaten to kill her! What did you expect me to do? Sit around until you decide to let her go?" Gabe yelled.

"I didn't expect you to seek help from my enemies you traitorous whelp! You're so weak! A disappointment!"

"Then why didn't you get rid of me when I was just a kid! You had the opportunity to dump me on someone else or kill me then!"

"I had hope that I could corrupt you enough to carry on my noble work! You're a failed experiment and I've decided I need a new heir to manipulate!" Joker grinned and he pointed at Willow.

Gabe's attention fell on her for a moment, "What? Willow would never do anything like that!"

"It's not your little girlfriend I'm referring to...it's what's inside her which I'm referring..." Joker's grin grew wider as Gabe's look of anger turned to confusion and doubt. "Willow and I had a really good time these past weeks sonny boy!"

Nothing could describe the hatred Gabe now harbored for his father. "How could you...you fucking scumbag!" Not caring about the gun Joker carried, Gabe charged and was met with a punch to the gut, but he ignored it. He wanted to rip his father limb from limb.

Several gun shots went off as Joker attempted to shoot his son, but Gabe held tightly to his father's wrist, keeping the weapon pointing to the ceiling while he sent several blows into the clown's stomach with the other hand.

Joker had never seen his son fight so savagely. He was bleeding profusely from his mouth and had a couple of head injuries. His best chance of defending himself was to kick out with his feet and knock his son away but Gabe was just 'taking' every blow and brushing them off.

Eventually, Gabe struck Joker hard enough to force him to drop the gun and wrapped his hands around the clown's neck, squeezing hard and cutting off his air.

Looking into Gabe's demonic eyes actually frightened Joker. His son had the intent to kill...

"You die now..." Gabe growled and intensified his grasp, clearly enjoying the gurgling sounds Joker was making and how he was desperately trying to pry his son's hands away from his neck. Then Gabe gave off a low chuckle and it slowly developed into an evil laugh, not so different from Joker's when he was preparing to kill someone. Gabe had no control over his emotions and not even the sweetest memory of his mother could bring him back. Nothing could stop his urge for blood...  
It wasn't until Joker's eyes appeared to be rolling into the back of his head that Gabe felt a gentle set of fingers touch his right shoulder and then slide down his arm. He turned his head, face still full of anger and was met with a pair of gentle yet sad grey eyes. Then his expression softened when he realized that it was Willow.

"Don't kill him," she pleaded and squeezed his bicep slightly. "You're better than that my love..."

Gabe didn't lessen his grip but continued listening to her encouraging words.

"You're here now and that's all that matters to me. I'm safe with you," she said lovingly.

He slowly let go of his father's throat and watched as the clown slid to the floor, partially unconscious but slowly coming to as his air supply returned. Gabe turned to Willow and embraced her, grateful that she stopped him from doing something despicable. He held her tightly. "I'm relieved. You're not hurt are you?"

"No. Just feeling a little sick, but I suspect that's because...well..." she whispered, very disheartened.

It was easy to sense her fear and dread and he didn't want to push for too much information until she was far away from all of this and in a hospital. He knew what Joker did and that Willow would likely deal with the consequences. No matter what happened, he wanted to be there to support her. "We'll get through this together..." he said softly in her ear.

"I'm glad." Willow peered up at him with tears in her eyes and happily accepted his kiss.

Above them on the second floor, there was a loud crash and the ceiling was beginning to give way. Gabe pulled Willow out of the way as the cement and wood came tumbling down along with several members of the League of Shadows and Joker's henchmen. Seven and Anya were lying on the floor, both uninjured unlike some of their followers. They climbed to their feet and held their swords steady in hand. Three of their associates crawled out from under the rubble, but the others did not. Punch and Judy were not entirely visible from under the debris and they weren't getting up...

Anya rushed over to one of her injured soldiers and placed her fingers to his neck and she shook her head. Seven had the look of anguish but she needed to move forward with her mission. She peered over at the wall where Joker was leaning and she quickly ordered two of her men to restrain him while Gabe and Willow looked on.

Joker wasn't given much time to recuperate as he was hoisted to his feet; both arms held by a soldier on each side. They kept him in check, even when he struggled.

Gabe felt a sense of relief when his father was in custody. "He can be taken to justice now..."  
"That is correct," Seven replied, her face lit up with excitement and she twirled her sword around a few times as she approached the Joker. "Not much to say Joker?"

"You're still a bitch..." Joker replied and he tried to pry his arms away from the soldiers. He also tried using vines to get them to release but the plants dissolved the moment they connected with their limbs.

"Ra's Al Ghul and I have been looking forward to this for a long time. Put him on his knees," Seven said cruelly.

The two soldiers forced Joker to the floor by buckling his legs and positioning him so his arms were held tightly behind his back while his head protruded forward.

Seven swung around her sword for a moment, deciding how she would make the final blow.

Gabe stood aside, wondering what exactly was happening and he finally mentioned, "We should take him to the proper authorities and let them deal with him."

"Already have him with the proper authorities." Seven continued inspecting her blade, deciding the sharpness was good. She was only a few feet away from Joker and she a couple of practice swings, "You have no idea how badly Gotham needs this."

"What are you talking about?" Gabe asked.

"Gotham has suffered enough setbacks and it doesn't need this clown screwing it up again. If he's put in Arkham, even with its new facilities, Joker will escape. It's best to eradicate the world of villains like him."

"And villains like you!" Joker chimed in. "Silly girl! You're as evil as I am, destroying Gotham and playing the righteous anti-hero!"

Wait a second, what?" Gabe questioned.

"You've been duped kiddo. You're so gullible!" Joker laughed. "You allowed these people to manipulate you into thinking they were going to do good for the city and it's people. You're a fool! They are the ones responsible for the destruction of the original Gotham and the death of your mother..."

Gabe's mouth nearly fell open. He didn't know whether to believe his father or the League and he turned his attention to Seven, "You set off the explosions then?"

"It was necessary. Gotham had become too greedy and too corporate. We had-"

"You had to kill millions of innocent people?" Gabe shouted, "My mother included?"

"An unfortunate casualty but in order to restart the-"

"You killed my mother you fucking bitch!" Gabe screeched.

Anya and the remaining soldier approached Gabe and Willow in attempt to keep them back while Seven carried out the execution. Both were prepared to fend off any attacks that Gabe threw at. Willow clung to Gabe's side in fear as the soldiers boxed them in.

Seven raised her sword high into the air just a few feet over Joker's head, "It was necessary Gabriel...like this is necessary..."

In a panic, Gabe glanced around the floor and spotted his father's gun. He quickly dove for it and fired off several rounds. Two bullets struck one of the soldier's holding Joker and fell backwards allowing the clown enough time to avoid Seven's blade. The soldier did not get back up...

"Gabe! What are you doing?" Seven cried. "You wanted this!"

"I wanted my father brought to justice! Not murdered!" Gabe shouted. "You stole my mother from me! I won't allow you to take him too!" Gabe then pointed his gun at her and fired again.

Seven dove out of the way of the gunfire but one bullet passed through her leg, crippling her. She fell to the floor in pain. "Anya! Finish him!"

Anya did as she was told and lunged at Gabriel whom was not quite ready for the attack and he fell over as her foot struck him in his weakened shoulder. Gabe screamed with immense pain as his collarbone shattered once again. He dropped the gun and collapsed to the floor, holding his bleeding shoulder. Then Anya stood over him with her sword prepared to strike.

Joker found this chance to attack Seven while she was down. He managed to grab one of the swords protruding from the pile of debris belonging to one of the dead soldiers and though he wasn't trained to use one, he managed to block swings from Seven's remaining two subordinates until he was upon her.

Then another gun shot rang out, halting the Joker and his assailants...

Everyone had turned to see Willow holding the pistol. She had fired off a single shot and it hit its target.

Gabriel was still lying on the floor in a heap, but was surprised to see that Anya had stopped her attack. She looked confused. But then Gabe saw a trickle of blood seeping down her neck and then it gushed after a moment.

Anya dropped her sword as her hand flew up to her neck to staunch the blood flow. She was growing delirious and slowly lowered herself to the floor. "Mother..." she said softly and tears began dripping down her cheeks.

"Anya!" Seven cried and she climbed to her feet, ignoring her severe injury to run to her daughter's side.

The soldiers were busy fighting off Joker and they appeared to be gaining the upper hand at one point. Gabe had to do something before they actually killed his father. He took up Anya's sword in his good hand and joined in the fight against the last two soldiers. His father appeared to actually be appreciating the help.

While the fighting continued, Seven pressed her palm against the terrible wound on Anya's neck, "Hang in there Anya, I'll get you help."

"Mom..." Anya whimpered and she gasped. Blood spurted out of the wound every time the girl took a breath. Then the girl coughed up a heaping amount and it poured down her mother's legs.

Willow stood by in total shock at what she'd done and she backed away until she came in contact with the stairwell. Not able to continue watching Anya die, she rushed up the steps to escape along with the gun which now had an empty chamber and she carried no additional rounds.

"Stay with me!" Seven cried as she tried to keep her daughter awake. But the girl had fallen silent and her breaths were shallow...until they completely stopped. Seven tried shaking her daughter to bring her out of it, but there was no chance she would come back. "Anya!" she screamed as her daughter passed away. She crushed Anya's body to her chest and fought against the tears threatening to fall. Her rage was boiling over. After laying her daughter on the ground, Seven crawled to the pile of rubble and dug through it for a moment until she found the body of one of her solders and she took a dagger from his belt. Then she limped over to the stairwell, knowing that Willow ascended...

_To be continued..._


	42. Chapter 39

Your Cell is Ready

Ch. 39

Seven

Willow rushed to the top of the stairs and continued running through the building until she found the emergency exit to the roof. Her stomach was throbbing; the stench of the factory being too much for her. Hopefully she would be able to find a place to hide because there was a high probability that Seven would chase her in revenge.

On the rooftop, Seven threw the gun over the side of the building and it disappeared into the snow below. Then she attempted to find a hiding place but where could she go? The rooftop was pretty barren save for a few smoke stacks. She trudged through the snow to the nearest one and sunk down against it and closed her eyes, hoping that Seven wouldn't think to search for her on the roof.

"You must be the stupidest girl I've ever met. Did you think I wouldn't follow your tracks in the snow?"

Willow's eyes flew open to see Seven standing over her, a dagger pointing at her nose. "Se-Seven, please I didn't have any other choice! She was-"

"You murdered my daughter!" Seven screamed and she scraped the blade along Willow's cheek, leaving a small cut behind. A trickle of blood seeped down to her jaw.

"She was trying to kill Gabe!"

"Good! We don't need anymore of Joker's bloodline running rampant throughout the city! I had every intention of killing both of those bastards once I had them in one room! The only reason I didn't kill that lunatic's spawn was because I wanted to find out why you were so important! Now I see what's going on..."

Willow swallowed.

"Joker wouldn't give his son his location right away because he was trying to buy some time with you. Obviously by Joker's reaction to his son downstairs, Gabe is a failure! He refused to become a criminal...how noble! However, Joker can't resist women and he knew he wouldn't live forever without the power of the lazarus pit, so he decided to get another heir and that's where you come in..."

Willow shook her head, trying to persuade Seven otherwise.  
"He knocked you up didn't he? He raped you multiple times...I can see it in your eyes. I'm going to do you a favor..." Seven grasped onto Willow's jacket and tugged her to her feet.

The blade was pressed to Willow's neck, but before the flesh was split, Willow cried out in agony when Seven's fist met with her gut in a hard strike. It was a terrible thing to put her through right before killing her. Seven backed off for a moment to let the pain sink in.

Willow fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her stomach and she'd thrown up again.

"There's no way I'd ever allow that devil's spawn into the world to further contaminate it. I despise you for even taking an interest in the demon-faced son! Prepare yourself girl because you're about to feel my wrath!"

Seven knelt down to slit Willow's throat but she was stopped when a sword whizzed passed her head and stuck into one of the smoke stacks. A heavy fist struck her in the cheek, knocking her into a snow bank. She kept a firm grip on her dagger as she landed and saw that the Joker and Gabriel managed to either escape or finish off her men. She stood alone...

"How dare you treat my friend so horrifically!" Gabe yelled and he was at Willow's side in a heartbeat. He helped her up.

"All of you deserve to die! I will kill you first, clown-spawn!" Seven retorted and she picked herself up to face the three of them.

Joker was upon her first and his blade clashed with hers with a high-pitched clang. "This will be the last time you die, bitch!" He pushed hard against her, taking advantage of her damaged leg and she stumbled. He swept her leg out from underneath her, causing her to fall into a snow bank.

"Ah!" she screeched after shooting pain spread up and down her mutilated leg. Her dagger fell from her hand and rolled down the snow. Before she could even think, Joker tackled her and weighed her down. He gripped onto her neck, pressing her head into the snow. She was so weak at this point from blood loss that couldn't even defend herself...and he knew it.

"Right back to where we were..." Joker said and he dragged the edge of his sword down her cheek. "Such fond memories..."

Seven grimaced as the blade nicked her but she stayed calm. Keeping a level head could mean the difference between life and death. So she allowed Joker to continue reminiscing while she searched for her dagger using peripheral vision. It wasn't far from her...

"I never realized how years of fighting and killing could harden someone's features." Joker was inspecting her face, "That fearful look you used to give me when I was fucking you, I miss it. How about humoring Mr. J one last time before I kill you?"

Normally she would have thrown it in his face, but if she could keep him distracted long enough...

Joker's smile faded as his expression turned to surprise. He saw the anger leave her face and the softness she once had emerged. It was as though she'd never experienced the life of an assassin. She looked vulnerable. Joker liked his victims to be this way. "And here is my last act of kindness girly..."

Without so much as a warning, he crushed her lips with his in a kiss. She didn't resist...

Joker brought the blade closer to her throat, intending to slice it open without breaking their act of intimacy. He wanted to know what it was like to be kissing someone as they died; to feel the heat of their body dissipate as the cloak of death is draped over them. Her mouth was still as soft as he remembered and he deepened the kiss as the blade pressed against her throat and slowly split the skin. However, a massive pain began biting at his side and he stopped before he could do any real damage to her.

Seven watched as Joker rose up and saw her dagger sticking out of his left side and the look upon his face was priceless. She chuckled. "Still a moron. Your greatest weakness will always be women, Joker. This is the second time I've seriously injured you in the same sense and I believe I've struck a vital organ..."

He was on his knees, hovering over her but she gathered her remaining bit of strength and kicked him off with her good leg while wrenching her dagger from his wound. Blood spurted out of his side and he pressed his palm against the gaping hole. It was one of the worst injuries he'd received and by the looks of the situation, he probably would die. Still, he wouldn't let her win and he steadied himself, preparing for her. She was slowly pulling herself upright, only able to stand using determination alone.

Both were up and this time Joker made the first move, slicing his sword in a downwards motion while she could only block it with the dagger. Their strength waned with every passing minute and she took every opportunity to strike him in the side so she could gain the upper hand.

Every other swing was a miss as Joker's vision grew blurry. He really believed this would be his final few moments and he sure as hell would be taking her with him.

Nearby Gabriel had managed to carry Willow away and back inside the building, but something told him he should return to the roof. Willow pleaded with him to leave but he insisted she run and call for help. He stuffed his cell phone into her hands and made her go. She made the desperate call to the police, but they would take some time getting out of the city to their location. Gabe rushed through the building, heading back towards the roof and hoping he wouldn't arrive to see both opponents dead and surrounded by blood-stained snow. He pushed through the emergency exit and saw that both enemies were still alive and bleeding profusely. He could see the black stain seeping down Joker's trench coat and Seven's leg was shredded. Plus she had multiple gashes on her arms and neck. They were sluggish in their movements.

Joker was gaining ground and pressing Seven to her limits.

"It's obvious I won't make it through this," Seven grumbled and backed into a smoke stack, "I"m bleeding out..." She then removed the small pouch hanging from her belt and dropped her dagger.

"What's that?" Joker asked.

"Your contract with Hell..." Seven replied and she removed a grenade from the bag. She pulled the pin on the grenade and was about to throw it, but she was pushed to the side by a heavy force.

Gabe saw the explosive and in a panic he charged towards Seven and knocked her against the edge of the building. She dropped the grenade over the edge and it exploded mid-air, causing the cement to crumble beneath them. Seven must have had a rush of adrenaline because she managed to pull herself up and away from the edge. Gabe wasn't so lucky and was now clinging to part of the factory's steel framing. His collar was shooting with pain and he relied on his good arm to hold tightly. It was a long fall to the ground...

Joker managed to avoid getting caught up in the initial blast, but he was struggling to stay on his feet. He held his sword in hand and slowly trudged through the snow, looking for Seven.

She was banged up so badly, but managed to locate her dagger lying nearby. It was blackened from the explosion, but still usable. Her vision was bad, really bad and she could longer tell which of the two men before her was her adversary. She saw one of the two clowns hanging off the edge of the building and decided that one would the one to go first. "I d-don't care which of you...dies first," she stuttered and slowly dragged her bad leg through the snow, intending to kill.

Gabe tried to pull himself up but his arm was no good and the framing was sliding away from the cement. He could see Seven standing right on the edge, her eyes blinking rapidly and a huge smile on her face. She looked absolutely insane. As she held the dagger over her head, she started laughing. "Enjoy your time in the afterlife!" she shouted. Gabe closed his eyes, waiting for the swing...

Instead, Gabe heard a gurgling sound and he reopened his eyes to see Seven still holding her position with the dagger overhead, but she was still. Then she coughed up a massive amount of blood, a hefty portion of it splattering all over Gabe. A blade was piercing through her chest, just like the first time she died, a cruel irony. Tears fell down her cheeks and her mouth fell open in a silent scream. She slid backwards down the sword until she fell into the arms of her most hated adversary.

"There, there girly. I won't let you die alone," Joker said as he caught her. He was smiling as he held her broken body.

More blood dripped from her mouth, "I wanted...you d-dead..."

"So do all who have ever encountered me," he replied and stroked the side of her face, "You're the one who came the closest." Then he quickly yanked the sword out of her, making her groan. "I'll admit, besides Batsy, you're my favorite sparring partner. What a rush our little battles have given me!" He adjusted himself, trying not to cause his wound to sting. He could see her eyes beginning to darken. "Now's the time to say goodbye my dearest." He then pressed his lips to hers and strangely enough, she accepted him for the last time. It didn't matter that he could taste the coppery fluid trickling from her pale lips. She was as sweet as the first time their mouths joined.

They kissed until she grew still and her eyes were now lifeless. He thoroughly enjoyed how her lips remained parted as he backed away. Then he allowed her body to fall into the snow. Off in the distance, sirens blared and overhead the whizzing of rotor blades broke the deathly silence. The factory was slowly falling apart and he needed to escape before the cops picked him up. As he pulled himself upright, he heard his son groaning in pain and curiously he wandered over to the edge of the building. Gabe was clinging to the framing with one arm and grimacing as his broken bones continued grinding together. His son peered upwards.

Joker didn't say a word. His son betrayed him several times, nearly had him killed by the League, and was not worthy of his heritage.

Their eyes locked for a moment. Each despised the other...

Gabe was slowly losing his grip on the metal and would fall to his death. At least Willow was safe. She didn't deserve to be dragged into his family problems, more so than she already was. It would be hard enough for her to straighten her own life. And now she was saddled with a baby...if it survived Seven's attack. He felt guilty and saddened; enough for him to purposely let go of the frame and allow himself to die. But it wasn't what happened...

A powerful hand clenched onto Gabe's wrist and tugged harshly. His legs automatically began pushing against the fractured building as he ascended. His hands touched the freezing snow, a welcoming touch compared to the sharpness of the frame. Once he was brought back upon the rooftop, he was staring his father dead in the eyes once again. Gabe didn't know where to begin nor if should even bother trying to talk anything out with the clown. It was typically futile.

"You have more balls than I expected kiddo. I'll give you that. You're probably wondering why I didn't kill you or let you fall."

"The thought did cross my mind."

"I'm not one for letting shit like betrayal slide, but let's just call this an even trade. A life for a life. I owe you nothing else and I won't show you this kind of mercy ever again."

Gabe nodded, "Fine. But here's some of my conditions for you." He had no emotion in his voice to ensure a point.

Joker's eyebrow furrowed, "And who are you to be making-"

"I have no ties with you anymore," Gabe interrupted. He was entirely serious. "And you're injured with the likelihood of dying. I'll drag your ass downstairs where the authorities can have you and they will bring you to a hospital to save your ass. In return, you will not bother me, you will not bother Willow. Our lives are separate. I'll be where you can't find me nor her."

"And I'm supposed to just agree to this?"

"Yes. Otherwise I'll dig up mom's old records and have all the proof I'll need to drag you to court for fraud and have you stripped of mom's fortune! You got too comfortable living the life of luxury. It made you lazy and naive. I know my past now...and I'll fight for mom's legacy if I have to!" Gabe pulled himself up and then assisted his father to his feet and slowly they moved down the emergency stairwell. Joker stumbled a few times and his breathing was growing erratic. Eventually the clown passed out and Gabe resorted to dragging his father out of the factory by the feet. There was no other choice.

When they reached the outside, Gabe sat his father up against the building and he flagged down the oncoming police and ambulances. At first the officers mistook him for the Joker, but luckily Willow was with them and she sorted out the ordeal. Gabe was taken into one ambulance with Willow by his side while Joker was given emergency first aid and paced in another. They were taken immediately to Gotham's hospital. Both father and son were taken straight into surgery...

* * *

Gabriel woke up in a hospital bed with warm rays of sunshine peeking in through the curtains. He groaned as he attempted to sit up, but remembered that he was injured. He fell back against his pillow, "Oh...fuck that hurts..."  
"It should. That means it's healing."

Gabe's eyes shot across the room and fell on the figure clad in black in the corner. It was Batman. "What are you doing here?" Gabe asked.

"I was asked to keep watch over the Joker should he attempt an escape. Though in his current condition, I find it highly doubtful."

"Did my father survive?"

"Yes and he's very fortunate that any surgeon is willing to work on him. He'll be in the hospital for at least a month and then he will be transported to a secure cell in Arkham. With the security updates, we don't suspect him ever escaping again." Batman approached the foot of the bed, "I have many questions for you that I hope you're willing to answer."

"Sure. Where do we start?"

"As far back as you can remember..."

Three hours passed by the time Gabe finished answering Batman's detailed questions. He also let the dark knight in on his entire life's story.

"So now you know everything. Are you planning on taking me in too?"

"I don't think that's what will happen. Everything that happened in your life was a direct result of Joker's meddling, but you will have to pay for any of the crimes you are convicted for. Because you're cooperating, I think the city council will be more lenient. Anyways, your girlfriend-"

"Willow! Fuck, where is she?"

Batman raised a hand, "Fine, she's fine. She's in another room undergoing questioning too. She had quite an ordeal and it's put a lot of stress on her. I'm afraid we didn't get much out of her at this time. We were hoping we could bring you to her room and see if she will open up about the last few months."

"Yeah, she's probably terrified after last night." Gabe ignored his aches and sat up again, "Take me to her?"

"Sure."

Gabe refused to be assisted out of the bed, but allowed Batman to escort him along the hallways. Police were stationed everywhere. It was obvious this wing of the hospital was closed off to regular patients and only officers and medical staff were allowed in. They reached room 226 and Batman knocked on the door.

"Come in," said a tiny frightened voice.

Gabe entered first, followed by the Bat.

"Gabe!" Willow cried out and she extended her arms out to him.

He rushed to her side and embraced her before planting a kiss on her forehead. "Are you alright?"

She had tears of joy in her eyes, "I'm so happy you're okay! It looks like the doctors have you all stitched up now. Are you in terrible pain?"

"No, no. I'm okay. I'm more concerned about you. Seven struck you in the belly..."

"She did." Willow looked sad. "I'm still waiting for the exam." Her face had turned bright red.

Gabe knew this would be difficult to discuss in front of an audience so he politely asked Batman if he would step out for a while, which the vigilante agreed to but he would remain close by. Willow and Gabe were alone.

"I'm so sorry I let Joker-"

He cut her off quickly, "Don't blame yourself. I know what kind of man my father is and it was my fault for not acting fast enough. He was trying to get to me and I should have seen it coming."

"It's not your fault either." There was an awkward pause before Willow continued, "The nurses are coming with a fetal monitor to see if the embryo survived. What's going to happen to you and I?"

"What do you mean? Will we separate or stay together?"

"Yeah..."

He gathered her hand in his palms and kissed it. "No matter what the results, I promised you that we would get through this together. The question is, what do you want? I won't be angry either way. If the embryo survived and you want to abort it, that is okay with me. If you want to keep it, I'll be there for you. My only request is that you don't put it up for adoption. It's too easy to track family records and if my father ever does escape prison, he might go after the child regardless of how much I threatened him. I want to keep a close eye on your kid."

She sniffed and nodded, "Are you pro-choice? Was your mother too?"

"Personally I"m pro-choice, but my mother was pro-life. I'm lucky to be in existence because of her. She kept me even though I was Joker's son."

Willow leaned over the side of the bed to wrap her arms around Gabe's neck, "If this baby survived then I'm going to keep it, for your mother's sake. I don't want to destroy her memory by aborting one of her bloodline."

"Don't do this for me or my mother, do this for you."

"I am. I'm going to keep it...and as for a father figure, I was hoping you'd like to take the job, rather than just being a legal guardian..."

Gabe smiled, "Okay."

They embraced for a long time, at least until the nurses arrived with the monitors. Willow was kept very comfortable while she was prepared for the exam and a special wand was inserted into her body to view the embryo. It was good to have visual confirmation that the baby was there and by the looks of it unharmed. However, when the fetal heartbeat monitor was used, Willow felt relieved to hear the whooshing sound of life. The baby was in good development and the nurses estimated her to be about nine weeks along.

Gabe appeared happy as well and seemed proud to be filling out prenatal care paperwork with Willow. He labeled himself as the father on every sheet. Nobody would ever know the truth as he made sure to notify all of the hospital staff and officers to keep the pregnancy in confidence.

_To be continued..._


	43. Chapter 40

Your Cell is Ready

Ch 40

Better Days

Gabe was released from the hospital two days after Willow. He had her booked in a hotel room until he was given clearance to leave. He wanted to keep her comfortable and safe so he requested a police presence at the hotel until he could join her. Then he would wait in the city until his court date which was in three weeks. While recovering in the hospital, word spread throughout the city that the Joker had been found and taken into custody. Plus Gabe's face and name had been in the papers. Now everyone knew of his existence. Some were frightened at the aspect of a potential 'new Joker' but others simply didn't care and figured he was only a copy-cat. He didn't worry though. His entire life's story would be published for all to read in the coming weeks and everyone would know the truth.

The break in his collar would heal again but he was warned that he would need extensive physical therapy. The bones were very weak and another break could require steel implants and pins. Still, he didn't care. This was the happiest Gabe has been since his mother was alive. Here he stood content, back brace keeping his shoulders stable and his arm held in place by a sling. He ached but the medicine helped with the pain.

The hotel room was lovely. Marble floors and area rugs from Peru. The master bedroom was decorated with crystal chandeliers and silk drapery. Satin adorned the bed. A connecting master bathroom glittered with pristine ivory surfaces and wall to wall gold and burgundy papering. His mother would have loved seeing this room. It would also be the last time he would be staying in such a beautiful place. After his hearing, he requested to be transferred to another city to complete his sentence.

"Gabe..."

Gabe turned his attention from the window and smiled as Willow entered the bedroom. She was holding a tray with a freshly brewed pot of coffee and two mugs along with toast and jam.

"My grandma used to make my mother tea and toast when she woke up. I figured you weren't much of a tea person." She placed the tray down on the nightstand.

"Never found a brand that I'm particularly fond of. Of course, I'm always open to new things." He sat down on the bed and adjusted his shirt.

Willow saw that he was gently massaging his injury. "Does it hurt so much?"  
"Not right now. My meds keep me pain-free. If anything, I'm feeling pretty good." He removed his from underneath the brace. "I've been cooped up for so long. I'm dying to go out."

"We can go out later. Security will follow us but it's better than staying indoors. Why don't we go to a movie?"

"Nothing out I'm really interested in."

"Well we missed Valentine's day so all the festivals are over. We could just-"

"How about we check out the hot tub in the hotel later?"

"You just wanna see me in my swimsuit," Willow teased. "Sorry to burst your balloon, but I didn't pack that."

"Then you'll just have to go naked..."

"Gabe!" Willow cried and smacked him on the thigh playfully. "All the other hotel guests would see me too!"

"And what a treat it will be, hmm?" He chuckled as another gentle strike connected with his leg.

She sat down on the bed next to him, still laughing at his perversion, "I've never heard you say things like that. It's flattering...almost like you've found a hidden confidence. I like it."

"Freedom does strange things."

"But you've always been free."

"I don't have a crazy psychopath trying to control me anymore. But let's avoid that topic. I'm much more interested in my future and where we'll be in the next five, ten, fifty years..."

Willow smiled and she captured his hand within hers, "Well, I'm hoping we'll be throwing back a couple of margaritas while sitting on the beach and watching our little one attempt to bury you in the sand."

Gabe laughed, "Heh, bury me huh? What if he tries to bury you?"

"She won't, because I'll help her get to you first!"

"What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

"What makes you so sure it's a boy?"  
Both of them just shrugged their shoulders and Gabe clenched his fingers around hers and pulled her over. She fell against the satin pillows in a small fit of giggles while Gabe used his good arm to pull himself up to lie next to her.

"Can you help me take this off?" Gabe asked, pointing to the sling.

"You should really leave that on. Your shoulder..."

"My arm needs some air, it's hot in this canvas thing."

Willow sat up briefly to unhook the back of the sling and it fell away. She tossed it on the floor. Gabe was moving his arm around to stretch out the tightened tendons and muscles. "Better?" she asked.

"Much." Gabe then relaxed back into the mattress while she curled up next to him, careful not to touch his collar. He studied her locks, which now touched a little bit past her shoulders, "Your hair grew." He fingered a lock and tucked it behind her ear.

"So did yours. I think it's brushing along your lower back now." She twirled one of his long strands and brought it up to her nose, smelling a faint floral shampoo. Then she tugged it playfully, "Don't ever cut your hair."

"Then it will get all ratty." He gently pulled his hair from her fingers . "But I'll keep it long just for you." He leaned into her, putting his hand gently around her torso and stroked her lower back.

It wasn't an awkward moment, but neither knew what to say really. Willow shyly looked away, "So now what?"

"I think I'm comfortable right here next to you." Gabe then pressed his lips to hers. This time he felt bold enough to let his tongue travel along her bottom lip, encouraging her to accept him. Her mouth was hot and sweet; he could taste the fresh mint from a hard candy she'd recently eaten. She responded to his advances and let his hand slide up to the back of her neck. His fingers wrapped around her soft flesh; a very dominant move. Purrs of satisfaction hummed in her throat, but there was a sense of fear looming in the back of her mind and he noticed. He separated from her, "Do I make you nervous?"

"It's not... well it's hard to explain," she admitted sadly.

Knowing that his father spent the last two months having his way with her, Gabe could understand her fears. He wanted to show her that she too could love again, like he learned to. "I want to pull you out of that hole my father put you in. You didn't deserve it. Would you let me?"

She smiled and nodded, "Yes."

He reconnected his lips with hers and slowly began moving along the outer edges of her mouth. Every inch of her jaw was covered before he moved on to her neck. Every few seconds she swallowed. He could feel the muscle movement in her throat; it was an obvious sign of shaken nerves. He didn't blame her for being so frightened. Using slow movements he crawled on top of her, careful not to injure his bad shoulder or squish her as he continued kissing along her shoulder. She was tenderly leaving tiny fluttering kisses on his forehead while her hands explored his hair, gently pulling and twisting the black locks. He liked when her nails scraped along his scalp; it sent shivers down his spine.

Her limbs were shaky and her skin was warm. She had a bit of a cold sweat. The thought of stopping did cross Gabe's mind, but when he pulled away she tugged him right back down and it was now that he had a harder time controlling his urges. He slid further down until his mouth was pressing against her chest, just above her breasts. Her soft cotton shirt stretched downwards as he gently tugged the collar with his finger. It would only go so far before he would need to seek her out from the bottom. His hands glided down her sides and crept underneath the hem but he hesitated momentarily; something was different. He sat back slightly and pushed her shirt up until her belly revealed some terrible scarring.

"Did my father-"

"No," Willow quickly said. She didn't want to think of the Joker or the reasons behind her scars. It was much too depressing to dwell on.

"But how did this happen?"

She also didn't want to hide the truth from him, "My ex was abusive. He did this and this is why he went to jail to begin with. You kicked his ass at the restaurant."

"Oh...well, I'm glad I did that then. But how did he do this?"

"Boiling water. I was making tea and we were arguing. He threw the entire pot at me and it splashed on my side. I spent a week in the hospital for severe burns and then a lot of treatment for scarring but it wasn't the best care. My insurance would only cover so much." She could see the concern in his eyes but she wanted him to forget about her painful past. The only way she might be able to get him to do that was to keep his mind occupied. She leaned up on her elbows and took hold of his good arm. He didn't have much time to think as she quickly flipped him over and crawled into his lap.

Heat circulated in Gabe's cheeks making his skin turn a pale pink. He wasn't used to being in a position like this, but he kind of liked it and grinned. His hands settled on her hips and he gently squeezed while her hands rested on his chest. Their eyes locked and he knew that he desperately wanted to make the ultimate commitment to her. He took her hands, interlocking their fingers and he brought each one up to his lips and left a kiss on the knuckles. Then he smiled at her again, "I love you."

"I love you..." she responded sweetly. They admitted their love for each other months ago but the romantic rendezvous was cut short when she'd been taken. Now she was here with him and there were no disturbances so she leaned in and replicated his earlier kisses. She started with his mouth and slowly moved down his neck to the top of his chest all the while her hands were sneaking under his shirt and pushing it up.

Gabe flinched slightly when her mouth connected with his collar and she apologetically kissed him on the lips again. She could feel his hands slowly moving up her sides, one hand caressed the scar tissue left behind from her attack. It was toughened from years of healing. Then he boldly slid his fingers underneath the elastic band of her bra. His thumbs were lingering just below the cups. He was shy about it at first and wondered how she'd react if he pressed further. So, he moved his hands to her back and played around with the clasp until it separated. Before he even had a chance to make another move, he felt her slide down his lap until her warm center rested on his knees.

She released his hands and her next action made him gasp. His belt was being undone and then he heard his zipper being pulled down. His breath caught in his throat when he felt her warm hands gently massaging and caressing his belly and hips. Then one of those curious hands slipped underneath his jeans, staying above his boxers, and rubbing along his already stiffened length. It was new to him...having someone else touch him like that. He swallowed nervously when he felt his pants being pulled down over his thighs.

It almost seemed to soon to be putting herself into such a vulnerable state again, but when she says Gabe's soft and caring expression...she melted. He could be trusted...

Then she hooked her fingers around his black boxers and slowly pulled them down. A thick and hard erection sprang out at her. From what she'd seen, his body was identical to that maniac's. But this was Gabe. He never hurt her. At the same time, she found his shyness very sweet. It was almost like he'd never experienced physical love. She wanted to hear his groans and small cries so she wrapped her fingers around the base of his length and slowly stroked him.

It was a nice sensation. So much better than soloing. Her hand was the perfect combination of soft and rough. It brought him great pleasure when her fingers brushed the tip and he closed his eyes. He breathed deeply and mentally thanked her for doing him such a wonderful service, but he did not expect her warm palm to suddenly change into a hot, wet mouth. His eyes burst open and he peered down to see her head bobbing up and down. "Ah..." he moaned with satisfaction and if by instinct or whatnot, his hand flew to the back of her head to guide her. The mixed emotions combined with the physicality were too much...

She moved even faster, hoping to get him to the edge. At this time she wasn't so sure if she could allow him to have sex with her. Maybe they'd be better off slowly easing into their new physical relationship. She blamed her nerves for making her so terrified.

It was to the point where Gabe thought he'd explode and he preferred to return the favor to her before he peaked. He sat up quickly, causing her to stop momentarily and he gently lifted her head away from his cock. Without a word, he lifted her with one arm and put her back on the mattress. He wasn't able to take it anymore. When she was beneath him again he hurriedly pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside while forcefully kissing her.

For a second there, she was frightened. He did pick up some of his father's traits, but there was a gentleness about him. He was dominant and capable of coaxing her into doing what he wished, but he was very considerate. She felt her shirt being yanked over her head and her bra just slipped right off. Then she felt a powerful set of hands grab onto her wrists and push them into the mattress. Gabe's mouth was all over her chest and soon enough she was gasping with extreme pleasure when his tongue ran down her breastbone. He traveled to the underside of her left breast and back up until he had the tip between his teeth. Her nipples were erect and begging for attention which he was happy to oblige.

"Oh..." she moaned as he sucked heartily at her soft mound. He wasn't rough, but he did nip occasionally. His teeth grazed along her skin, leaving small red marks. He squeezed her wrists tightly to prevent her from moving and his heavy body pressed her firmly to the bed. Eventually he stopped tormenting her to switch sides. A red splotch was left behind on her flesh. It didn't hurt, but would leave a lasting mark.

When he covered every inch up top, he slowly moved down her belly and kissed the thick scarring of her torso. It was mostly to her right side and she giggled slightly as he licked a particularly sensitive spot. While his mouth was busy, he released one of her hands so he could pull down the stretchy waistband of her yoga pants. Her lower belly came into view and he left multiple kisses along her hips. Then his other hand joined in sliding her pants off the rest of the way. Only a pair of cotton blue panties protected her from his eyes but those would remain in place for only a moment. In animalistic fashion, Gabe harshly pulled them off and sat back to look at her.

Willow blushed heavily under his gaze and while she remained nervous, she was also excited at the prospect of being fucked silly by this beast. However, Gabe wasn't about to do that yet. She watched as his hand traveled to his length and he began stroking himself before crawling off the bed. He practically lifted her entire body off the mattress just to turn her. Then he knelt down and pushed apart her thighs to see her feminine folds for the first time. It was a delicate treasure, one that he needed to tread around carefully. "Can I touch you?" Gabe asked.

The question was so simple, but so damn sexy. When she peeked down at him, she swore he looked like a starving pet waiting for permission from his owner to eat. His eyelids were half closed and is cheeks were pink. His chest moved up and down in a frantic pattern of breathing as he continued to jerk himself. He looked so desperate...

She uttered the word he wanted so badly, "Yes..."

He didn't wait for anything more and in a flash his head was between her thighs and one hand grasped tightly around her thigh. A light scent from her folds flooded his nostrils and he grew even more intoxicated by her. He started just above with her pale brown curls and left kisses within. Mewls escaped her and he smiled against her skin before moving down until he was face to face with her luscious lips. Seeing her this vulnerable made his heart skip a beat and in a sense, excited him. It was a trait not given to him by his mother...

Another groan escaped her lips when she felt his tongue sliding along her folds and occasionally he would suck them into his mouth. Her back arched and she squeezed her thighs around his head, trapping him there. When she thought he'd finished and planned to move on, she felt an intense from within. He dipped his tongue inside her and was now exploring her walls, licking away at her moisture. "Fuck!" she cried out and grasped his head; her fingers tangling through his hair.

Gluttony was the word drifting through his mind when he found he could not get enough of her sweet fluids. He licked, sucked, and drank her until she was begging him to stop. Her small voice was enough to bring him out of his erotic trance and he backed away; chin and neck glistening with her essence. She had a bit of relief for a few seconds but that was all he'd given her before he dove back in. Only this time he focused his affections on her vulva and clitoris. It was worse than before and she was screaming her pleasures for the world to hear.

It was torturing her. Gabe loved it and he wanted to really get her riled up. He let go of his throbbing cock and stuffed two of his fingers into her center; rigorously fingering her all while his tongue lapped away.

"G-Gabe...stop..." she pleaded and stroked his head. She was ready to burst at the seams.

But he didn't budge.

"I'm gonna...gonna..." she stammered. Her fingers clenched in his hair, tugging it.

Quickly Gabe pulled away before her body sent itself to the deep end and slightly disappointing her. She was left at the brink and curiously looked up to see why he'd done that. Gabe was standing up, just looking down at her. He wasn't smiling...in fact, no emotion was visible.

The sky outside had grown dark from cloud cover and the room had very little light now. Gabe's silhouette was mystical. His face was under the cover of shadows but she could make out the red around his eyes and he only stared. She was scared of his appearance just now, but was secretly wanting him to bed her hard. That's when he smiled, temporarily resembling the Joker.

"You'll come when I let you..." was the only sentence that escaped his lips.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. She could barely look at him, but her body was screaming to be taken. That's when Gabe took her by the waist and pushed her back up against the pillows. He was ignoring his injury completely; too overcome with lust. He hooked her legs around his waist and bent over so his good elbow held most of his weight while he began lining himself up.

Willow didn't assist him. He didn't seem to want it. The tip of his penis rubbed along her slit, picking up fluids to ease his entry and she waited...

He groaned when his length pushed through her folds and into her heat, loving how soft she was. It was like wrapping up in a velvety blanket. After a moment of enjoying the new sensation, Gabe slowly started thrusting and found that his hand was creeping back up towards her head. He slid his fingers underneath her neck and held her firmly as he increased the pace. "Hot..." he mumbled and closed his eyes, enjoying the spiraling warmth that licked at him. Then he leaned in to kiss her forehead and work his way down to her lips.

Her hands were pressed against his upper arms, gripping them tightly. Foreplay left her extremely close and she was trying to suppress her orgasm but he was making it incredibly difficult. "So close..."

"No..." He stroked the side of her face, "Not yet. Not until I say it's ok." Afterwards he sat back onto his haunches, his penis still encased in her body. The contours of her vagina were squeezing him, suffocating him. He wanted to see...

Gabe looked down at their adjoining pelvises and took it all in. Whatever direction he moved, her body went with it. Her folds shifted around him and shrunk with each new thrust. His shaft and the inside of her thighs glistened with her moisture. Her entire vulva was pink and swollen with rushing blood. He curiously touched the sensitive bead just centimeters above her opening and she responded with a gasp. The pressure on her clit was making her melt beneath his fingertips. One of her legs straightened out, giving Gabe the opportunity to hike it up over his shoulder. He used it as leverage while he continued fucking her.

He held that position for a few minutes but eventually he wanted to be in her face the second she peaked. He pushed her leg aside and fell back on top of her, moving at top speed and panting. Her breaths were shallow and rapid.

"Gabe..."

"Not yet..." he muttered, feeling his own release drawing near. Then he locked lips with her again, but her kiss was very half-hearted. Orgasm occupied her mind and she was going to be in hysterics if he held her off any longer. "Oh fuck..." he whispered between kisses as he felt his cock being milked and stretched by her insides.

"I'm sorry...I can't..." she said, her voice cracking.

It was enough for Gabe to find himself seconds from blowing his load. He spoke in her ear, "Come for me!"

She didn't need telling twice and her body exploded into convulsions and her nails clawed at his back. Her screams carried long and it gave him the final push he needed. He joined her in rapture; his hot seed spilled into her womb and he slowed his thrusts to a snail's pace to ride out the remaining pleasurable waves. His shoulder gave out and he had to rest before he did any damage.

Willow breathed a heavy sigh of relief and sat up onto her elbows while he pulled out of her and flopped to his side. He was panting, but he had a huge smile on his face. She couldn't help but smile too. "You really know how to torture a girl. How did you learn all those...erm... tongue techniques?"

"Videos."

"When did you have time for those with your dad dragging you all over creation?"

Gabe grinned, "When you're a horny teenager, you make time and find a quiet place with a laptop."

"I've never had anything like it before. It was nice." She rolled over and curled up next to him, "I can only imagine how your previous partners have felt."

"Never had a previous partner before."

"Wait, you mean this was your first time?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

"Yep and it's safe to say I'll want it again in the future." He kissed her on the cheek.

She was stunned. Most boys lost their virginity by age fifteen but Gabe never touched a girl before. She felt a little flattered and saw some humor in the situation, "I'm dying for an encore. Well, maybe tomorrow and I'm very excited to see what you're like when you've gained some experience." She laughed and kissed him back.

"Tomorrow then. It's a date," he agreed.

_To be concluded..._


	44. Epilogue

Your Cell is Ready

Epilogue

Return to the Scene

It has been several months.

Everything had fallen back into order. The city was finished and the suburbs were rebuilt. People were moving back and calling Gotham one of the United States most beautiful and safe metropolises. Even better, Mayor Gordon had done a second grand opening of the city after the Joker spoiled the festivities in December. He was given a standing ovation. The people loved him for the hard work he'd put in to rebuilding. An even bigger surprise; Bruce Wayne made a brave appearance to the opening in spite of being critically injured by knife wounds. He donated a heavy portion of his fortune to assist reconstruction and was now earning a modest living working in the recycling business and continuing his work on green technology and innovations. He supported the children's charities as usual and gave up his mansion in favor of said kids to have a wonderful home until they were ready for the world. Support grew for the new Wayne Foundation and money was pouring in across the nation to give to the families who grieved from the disaster.

On a more personal level for Gabe and Willow; Gabe was given the chance to speak about his life in an interview with Wayne, Gordon, and the city council. It was a televised event and the ratings were off the charts. His entire life's story was spilled to the public, except for his relationship with Willow and the unborn baby for their safety. Only a few people knew the infant's true heritage and they were sworn to keep it in confidence. It was a successful interview even though Gabe had been through his hearings and was sentenced to probation and community service. Willow's original plan of leaving the city would have to wait until he completed his work. It was lenient and Wayne offered to help, but Gabe kindly declined. He planned to work in the construction services in building housing for lower income folks. Plus he would do additional volunteer work with a few of the corporations that Joker had once broken into, destroyed, or ruined the reputation. He would check in with his probation officer twice a month to report his progress and was allowed to stay in government appointed housing with Willow for the first year.

Willow managed to contact her old job with Red Lobster and explain her ordeal. It was hard for her boss to believe at first but Mayor Gordon confirmed the story was true. She was offered her job back and relocated to a restaurant in Gotham until she straightened things out with the hospital. Being heavily pregnant put a bit of a damper on her career, but luckily there was an on-site daycare service in the hospital. Once she had the baby and settled down with her little family, she would reapply for a nursing position. Her parents were overjoyed when she contacted them. They insisted they rush down to Gotham to take her home, but Willow remained firm that she stay and promised to contact them every week until their grandchild arrived. It was a difficult situation at first, especially with Gabe's presence but they accepted it was her decision.

* * *

It was currently night, around eleven. Willow was brushing her teeth and preparing braid her hair. She ran a paddle brush through her locks while the toothbrush hung from her mouth. Her hair had grown quite a bit thanks to pregnancy hormones and it was thicker. She kind of liked this perk, but everything else from the backaches to the dizzy spells really wore her out. Ensuring every tangle was removed, she dropped the brush and finished with her teeth before exiting the bathroom.

Gabriel was already in bed waiting for her to join him. He had a glass of water in his hand and had taken small sips before offering some to her. "Thirsty?"

"No, just ready to lay down. My back is bothering me again." She crawled onto the bed and kicked down the covers. She curled up next to him but he had other ideas. He turned her so she was laying on her side away from him. He then started running his palms up and down her spine, gently massaging it.

She sighed as his fingers firmly pressed into her lower back. "That's so nice. How'd you get so good?"

"Practice my love." His left hand slowly snuck around her side and to the underside of her very large belly. He caressed her skin for a moment, then let his hand rest on her.

They stayed quiet for a couple of minutes while waiting. A very small jerk in her belly caused him to smile. The baby was moving and pushing against his palm. He sat up for a moment and carefully pulled up her tank top to reveal her flesh. Then he placed a tender kiss on her belly. "I can't wait to meet you, my little princess."

Willow smiled, "While you were at the construction site, I was digging through books of baby names. I couldn't really find anything I liked. But the book only had a few thousand."

Gabe laughed. "A few thousand? That's all? Well then we'll have to come up with something ourselves."

"We could choose something that's been in the family," she suggested.

"Could, but not from my side. Family history is a little...screwed up."

"Well my mother's name is Sherri. Or...my great grandma's name was Abigail."

Gabe made a face, suggested he didn't much care for those names. "What about your grandma?"

"Her name was Rose."

"Hm, I like Rose, but not as a first name. A middle name yes." He rubbed her skin gently, "My mother did say once that if I was a girl, she would have named me Amelia."

"Amelia Rose...I like it." Willow smiled and she snuggled into his embrace. "It's almost d-day...two weeks."

"I don't expect it to happen on the exact date." Gabe chuckled and he covered her stomach back up. He tugged the comforter up and they both settled down for sleep.

Gabe closed his eyes and relaxed into her. A few minutes later he heard her whisper, "I so desperately want to have to sex." His eyes popped right open and as if on cue, his cock was slowing rising for the occasion. "I believe I can grant that request." He then took the hem of her shirt and pulled it up, exposing her upper body and he dove for her oversized breasts. "The perks of pregnancy," he said happily as he started squeezing her soft mounds.

"I know! They were a large B before, now they're double D's! I can't wait till they shrink some!"

"I can..." he teased.

She laughed and started to enjoy his affections. Even though there were some occasions where she felt unattractive, Gabe always put her fears to rest. He called her beautiful and sexy. If anything, he said he found her insanely attractive having the belly and their intimacy remained the same throughout the pregnancy. He was so good to her. "I love you," she said softly .

Gabe stopped kissing her chest, "I love you too..."

* * *

Cell block D...

It had been months since he'd seen the outdoors. Joker had been kept in strict observation and secured in a padded room at the jail. It was a temporary residence until his room at the new asylum was prepared. He would be in a high security wing with two guards always posted at his door.

Currently he was surrounded by doctors and being held down by thick leather straps. They were busy inspecting his scars and viewing x-rays. He had a major surgery after that fight with Seven. He took a lot of internal damage and lost several inches of small intestine. Plus lacerations were found on part of the large intestine, but that was easy to repair. He spent several weeks in intensive care and was comatose for three days. I took nearly thirty pouches of blood over a forty-eight hour period to bring his count back up. After he was out of danger, he was brought to a regular hospital room for antibiotic treatments and rest.

During the process, the Gotham city council assigned Joker another life sentence to the asylum and was to be kept under guard permanently. Cameras would be installed outside his room and the bars outside his window were electrified. Chances of escape were slim.

"X-ray looks good," one of the doctors commented as he pulled the sheet from the light and stored in back in the manilla envelope. "I'm giving clearance to have him transported to Arkham tonight."

Not a word left Joker's mouth since his ordeal on the roof. He didn't speak to anyone...not even Batman. Nothing could coax him into talking. It was clear to the doctors that Joker was angry about something and they recommended intensive therapy treatments starting from day one of his sentence. He never struggled nor try to injure anyone; just spent countless hours staring angrily at the ceiling.

When it came to moving day, Batman was summoned to supervise but his presence only seemed to be drawing a crowd. Plus Joker never tried anything. He just laid on the gurney strapped into a straightjacket and a heavy sedative kept him docile. Police cars surrounded the maximum security truck which contained him and three armed officers rode along. It was no trouble escorting him inside the new Arkham and they placed the clown in a holding cell until he was assigned a number. They removed everything except his straitjacket so he could move about.

Joker was left alone for several hours listening to the conversations of the orderlies as they passed by his door. His thoughts were no longer in disarray as they had been during his stay in the hospital. He remembered his son's final words before the ungrateful kid dumped him in the arms of the paramedics. Gabriel actually threatened him. That was something he never dared to do in the past. Joker didn't like it. Not only that, he would never find out what happened to Willow and if she decided to terminate the pregnancy. It would be unusual if she decided to keep it, should it have survived the turmoil in the factory.

He actually smiled for once. At least he got his kicks before being sent back to prison and had the chance to torment his son's girlfriend. It would leave a lasting impression none the less. His grin widened when he thought about how good it felt to finally kill Seven. He remembered how her blood slid down the dagger and stained his hands red. The taste of her lips was sweet and bitter and he couldn't remember how much of her blood he had swallowed that moment. Then her eyes darkened and she was gone. His problems with her were over and it was confirmed when officers were chatting about it in the hospital. Joker overheard them discussing the factory and how a fire broke out on the first floor shortly after the grenade went off. All bodies were incinerated and the remains taken to the coroner. Seven was identified and so was her daughter. Joker's henchmen Punch and Judy were also killed. So there went two of his best men. Oh well. There were millions of other potential candidates in the world.

Other potential problems lay before him as well. Ra's Al Ghul was an unpredictable man and there's no telling whether he would come after Joker for killing Seven. The probability of revenge was high, but Joker would deal with it as he normally would. If anything, the battle between one 'immortal' versus another would be interesting.

While lost in thought, Joker heard a commotion outside of his cell and he tiptoe'd up to the door to peek through the small bars. A few orderlies were struggling to hold a person as they thrashed about. He couldn't see too well until they dragged the inmate closer. It took four people to keep that person under control. Then they started shouting all sorts of obscenities and the loudest came from a girl. She was kicking and punching her subduers. She even bit one.

"Got some spirit," Joker muttered. He looked at this woman who appeared to be around thirty. She had black hair and tan skin; maybe of Hawaiian descent or something. He figured she would be entertaining to mess around with but then he thought back to his problems with Seven again. It started this way and ended pretty badly but who was he to turn down tormenting another soul? He enjoyed it!

Joker's smile grew wider as he saw the girl being strapped into a straightjacket and pushed forward by two of the orderlies while the others needed to tend to the bite marks all over their arms. When the hallway cleared, Joker started cackling and jumping around on the padded floor excited with the prospect of a new victim.

After a few minutes of joyful dancing the door to his cell slowly opened and in came two orderlies. "Hold still clown-boy," one of them commanded. They struggled to catch him for a few minutes as he was zipping around the room in fits of laughter. They finally caught him when he attempted to fly out the door and commented on how he returned to 'normal'. Each of them had an arm and they escorted him out of the room. Apparently he's been given a number and it was time to move to his permanent home.

As they went down the hallways, they passed several doors with inmate's peeking through the bars and they were jeering, screaming, and calling out to Joker. It appeared they admired him for being one of few inmates to ever escape Arkham and manage to remain on the run for decades. Joker rather liked the attention and he called out silly political promises to kick the asses of all orderlies and improve the menu. They neared the maximum security end of the asylum and Joker spotted a set of fingers grasping the bars of cell 342. It was the girl he'd seen earlier and she was staring at him with an evil eye. He winked back at her but she sneered.

The door across from hers was open and a guard waited inside to help settle the clown in. Joker's attention was still on the girl's door but he was shaken and told to pay attention. In an instant, something pierced Joker in the neck. It was an orderly holding a syringe with some unknown meds in it. Then they pushed him inside.

"Your cell is ready. Enjoy your new home."

After they departed and locked his door, Joker waited for the hallway to clear before peeking out through the bars. He could still see the girl and she looked pissed off and ready to eat him alive. He loved it! Then he decided to break the ice...

"So my sweet, demented hall-mate, what'cha in for?"

_The End._


End file.
